Remember Me
by Foowd
Summary: Spyro the dragon sacrificed himself to end Malefor's evil and to restore the realms to their former glory. At least that's what everyone thought. In truth he's spent 17 years earth time believing he was a human named Jason Allen, but now another threat looms over the horizon, and it is time for the purple dragon to return home. Can he recover his memories and stop this threat?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

**Hello you, I'm back once more to scar your brain with another one of my psychotic ramblings I call a story, today's tale is an idea I've had buzzing in my brain since before I even started posting on FanFiction. This is probably gonna be a short story while I iron the kinks out of the other one I have planned.**

**This is probably gonna be more of a somber tale, but it will still have humor in it because it's me. I don't think anyone's quite done what I'm about to do. And if they have, well I won't tell them if you won't. *Shifty eyes***

**Spyro the Dragon and his little friends are © Activision. Not me, I'm just some random loser from the sticks.**

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**Prologue:**

* * *

It was over, Malefor was gone, and the world was put back together again. I had opened my eyes and looked upon the empty field in front of me. The sun was bright and the birds were chirping their happy tunes. For once in my life, there was peace...

But of course, it was at a cost, Spyro was gone, I couldn't see him anywhere, I had foolishly hoped I'd see him running to me, a smile upon his purple face, but no, he wasn't anywhere to be found.

A final thing for Malefor to take from me, the first dragon to ever show me true kindness, just another victim of my mistake. Why must the innocent always pay the price? I cried to myself, wishing it was me who died instead of him.

"Cynder? Cynder what's wrong? Where's Spyro?" I heard a voice ask me, I looked up to see Hunter kneeling over me. I could see the three remaining guardians standing behind him.

I tried to keep myself together so I could give them a solid answer. "He... he... he's gone... he sacrificed himself to repair the realms. It's all my fault..." I said unable to keep from breaking down in guilt and sadness. The others shared my sorrow over losing a dear friend.

Volteer then stepped forward. "It's going to be alright Cynder, you should know a dragon never truly dies, he's out there somewhere, watching over us all." Volteer told me trying to comfort me. But it didn't change the fact that he died because of me...


	2. The Mystery Of Spyro

**Chapter 1: The Mystery Of Spyro**

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"Jason... JASON!" My teacher shouted, I instantly sprang up from my desk, I had nodded off again during class, it was the fourth time today and it wasn't doing me any favors.

The teacher, Mr. Adams looked down at me, frustrated with my constant nodding off. "Mr. Allen I know Algebra can be boring, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't FALL ASLEEP IN MY CLASS!" Mr. Adams yelled at me, causing the other students to start laughing. "Sorry sir." I said in defeat. I wasn't going to bother arguing with him, I didn't want to land in detention after all.

In case you missed it, my name is Jason Allen, I'm a seventeen year old teenager from small town Maine, I wasn't all that impressive looking, I had a slender build, blond messy hair, bizarrely purple eyes, a shirt with and NES controller printed on the front with "addict" printed at the bottom in red letters, and gray cargo shorts. I wasn't exactly a popular kid at school, being a geek in all. I had a few friends sure but I did spent a lot of my time dodging the neanderthals that comprised our school's football team.

I was having a rough week, I had been having weird dreams lately, they played out like little snippets of events, like recalling a memory almost. In my dream I was a dragon, not a cool huge one that makes knights piss themselves in terror, but a small purple one named Spyro. Why Spyro? I don't know, I don't think it's even a word. But then again, it's a dream, things aren't **supposed** to make sense. I'm surprised one of the other dragons hadn't said "I need scissors 61" during one of them.

I keep seeing the same things lately, I see a bigger purple dragon, a red dragon dying in a huge wall of fire, and a small black dragoness pleading me to leave with her.

I've pondered the dream's meaning, but haven't come up with anything. I was just a nerdy kid, but in those dreams I was clearly some super important hero dragon. A far-cry from my painfully average existence. Whatever, they were just stupid dreams anyway, they probably meant nothing.

After school however, I'd start to think a bit differently, I walked down to my car to drive home, I got in only for my head to start pounding. "Sh**!" I cursed as I clutched my head in agony, it felt like someone was driving a pike through my brain! I could hear a faint whisper echoing in my head as this happened.

"_Spyro... come back to us..."_

Both the pain and the whispering eventually stopped, I shook it off and began to drive home, wondering what in the hell had just happened back there. Was I going insane? Was that what was going on here? Hearing voices inside your head was always a tell tale sign you were going crazy. But what it said baffled me "_Come back to us Spyro". _What did it mean by that? Why the name from my dreams? Maybe I should consider seeing a shrink.

I eventually arrived home, I pulled into the small dirt driveway before getting out of the car. Still pondering what in the holy hell was going on with my brain. I opened the front door to see my parents going about their usual business. "Hey sweetie, how was school?" My mother asked me.

I shut the door behind me and responded. "You know, the usual." I said, unsure if I wanted to tell them about what happened back at the school parking lot or not. I didn't want to worry them after all. My dad looked up from his paper. "Jason you okay? You look pale." He asked with concern.

I hastily thought of a reply. "Y...yeah I'm okay." I said hoping to get them to back off, again I didn't want them to worry about me. Mom was infamous for being a worry wart, and I doubt she'd take me having headaches and hearing voices well.

I rushed up to my room, looking myself in the mirror to see how bad I really looked, I had noticed something... off with my teeth of all things, my canines were slightly sharper for some reason, it kinda made me look like a vampire, what the hell was happening to me?

_**CAW! CAW!**_

I turned the second I head it, a crow of all things had landed in my window, funny I don't remember leaving it open... The bird just sat there, some kind of parchment clutched in it's beak. It dropped said parchment on the windowsill and flew away.

Now I know I should think twice about taking a peek at a piece of paper a crow dropped in my window, but my curiosity refused to let me leave it alone. I picked it up, and unrolled it.

It was clearly some kind of letter, in that stereotypical medieval calligraphy font, however what it said... it wasn't helping...

_Spyro,_

_If you are reading this, then it means my attempt to contact you was a success, it also leaves no doubt that you are the one I seek. No doubt you've been having visions, or dreams about your past life, if you wish to learn the truth, then you will come to the woods behind your house tomorrow at noon, come alone, and don't tell anyone about this letter, not even your parents._

_I hope to see you soon Spyro, I've missed you dearly old friend._

___Sincerely, Ignitus."_

I just stood there holding the note, completely baffled at what the hell I was reading! Who the hell is "Ignitus"?! And how does he know my dream name? Or where I live for that matter?! This... this is messed up! No way in HELL am I going to meet some creepy dude alone in the woods! That's textbook stranger danger right there!

But the fact he knew the name "Spyro" kept getting to me. How did he know that name? It wasn't even a word! But yet here it was written twice in ink on parchment that looked like it was ripped right from Lord of the Rings! That and the name, Ignitus, it sounded so familiar... like I had heard it before.

I put the note down on my end table, trying to make sense of what was happening to me. First the dreams, then the headaches, voices, and now this note! What the hell was going on?! That Ignitus guy, he might know, or he could be some deranged serial killer trying to get me alone to gut me like a pig. But how did he know the name Spyro? It was from my dream! Unless he's a psychic serial killer that's kinda impossible.

I laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, my head swarming with questions that I'd probably never get the answers to.

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_**Later That Night...**_

* * *

Dinner was uneventful, thankfully my new psychosis decided to lay off for a bit, I also didn't tell mom and dad about the note, because I knew if I did they'd call the police and have the entire SWAT team looking for that Ignitus guy.

I spent the rest of the night watching videos on YouTube, trying to take my mind of all this insanity. But then... something was... off. My computer went completely black. "The hell?! Aw come on I just got this thing last week!" I whined as I tried to see what was wrong with my PC. However then a dark purple clawed hand grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me in.

The room I found myself in was dark, and almost featureless. Save for a pair of yellow eyes staring down at me with pure hatred. They seemed familiar somehow. "You remember me? Don't you Spyro? Or should I call you by your new name... Jason is it?" A voice said, I assumed it belonged to the pair of eyes.

I stepped back a bit, confused and terrified at the same time. "Wh... who are you?" I asked, trying and failing miserably not to seem scared. The voice suddenly laughed, a dry cackle that wouldn't be out of place coming from a Saturday morning cartoon villain. "You really don't remember do you? How could you forget me? After all, I'm the reason you're a human right now. Oh what Cynder must think of you, abandoning her without so much as a goodbye." The voice taunted.

Cynder... that name... it was familiar too, I got the same tinge in my heart I felt when I read the name "Ignitus" when he said it. "You really were wiped clean! Poor Spyro can't remember a damn thing about his worthless existence!" The voice laughed again before the eyes vanished into darkness.

Suddenly a light shined behind me, some kind of spotlight with a small dragon sitting in the middle. A familiar looking one, it was the one from my dream, the one that pleaded me to leave with her. I slowly inched towards her, unsure if I really wanted to approach her.

The dragoness instantly looked at me, pure anger in her eyes as they locked with mine. "How could you?! How could you just leave me like that?!" She asked with anger. I stammered, unsure what to say to that. "You didn't give a damn about me did you? I was just a lost puppy for you to rescue wasn't I?!" She continued to lecture me. I backed away, not wanting to get near this dragon because I knew the second I was in pouncing range she'd latch onto my throat like a rabid dog.

I suddenly rammed into something large, I looked up to see a large red dragon looking down at me, at least... he was red at some point, he had several black and charred burns littering his body as if he had just been burned. I almost gagged at the sight of his charred and mangled skin. "How could you leave me there Spyro? After I looked after you like my own son you let me burn!" He accused me, adding to my already ridiculous amount of confusion. I stumbled back, cowering away like the weenie I was.

The two dragons were then joined by another three, a blue one, a yellow one, and a rather bulky green one. "Why did you abandon us Spyro?" The all said in unison. Repeating it over and over and over again, each time driving me more and more insane.

I clutched my head in my hands, "STOP! Leave me alone! I don't know what you're talking about! I'm not Spyro! I'm Jason! JASON goddammit!" I said hysterically, I wanted it to stop! All of it to stop! But they just kept going, like a broken record they just kept asking me why. "LEAVE ME ALONE DAMN YOU!" I cried but they just kept drawing closer and closer, until I could see nothing but darkness.

I suddenly shot up, I was back in my room, and it was morning. I must have dozed off last night, fell asleep while online. I breathed a deep sigh of relief, just a dream, a horrible, horrible dream. I got up and picked up Ignitus' note again. That dream, it was so vivid, and those dragons, I felt like I've seen them before. I looked over to the clock, it was about eleven o'clock. I felt now more than ever I needed to hear this Ignitus guy out. It sounded insane to me to even consider meeting a stranger alone in the woods without telling my parents, but after that dream, I wanted answers!

Who is Spyro? And what does he have to do with me?

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**A/N: And there's chapter one. Like I've said before, this was a concept I had in the back of my mind for a while, however I was scared to post it because I didn't know how people would react to it. But as you can see, I got over it.**

**Update 6/24/14: They say repetition is a sign of stupidity, it seemed I had made Jason describe his wardrobe twice for some reason, how do you even make that kind of mistake? I also fixed a few embarrassing typos. Imma gud writr! :D**

**Update 9/5/14: Fixed up Ignitus' note a bit, made it less repetitive.**


	3. Homecoming

**Chapter 2: Homecoming**

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It was a bright Saturday morning, mom and dad were gone, out having fun with their friends like they usually did during the weekend. I walked out of the house and through the backyard to the surrounding forest. It was your typical Maine woodland area, trees, trees, and more trees.

It was then I remembered that Mr. Ignitus failed to tell me **where** in the forest to meet up with him. Kinda a big oversight on his part if you ask me. I found a stump nearby and sat on it with a large annoyed sigh. "I'm totally wasting my time aren't I?" I asked myself.

"Oh I wouldn't say that..." Another voice suddenly said from behind me, I fell off the stump in surprise, not helped by the fact that I recognized the voice, it was the same one that burned dragon from my dream had. I slowly turned my head to see something I never thought I'd see, a dragon!

He was huge! A good ten feet tall on all fours, his scales were a pale blue, a navy blue cape draped over his back, kept in place by a chain around his neck that had some kind of crystal handing from it like a pendant. He looked at me with kind eyes, as if I was an old friend he hadn't seen in years. "It's been far too long young dragon." he said. I raised a brow, dragon? Me?

I got up slowly, unsure what the hell I was even seeing! This was a **dragon**! Straight outta D&D! And it thought **I** was a dragon too! "Uhh... I... I think you're a bit confused dude, I'm no dragon, just a... nerdy kid who's really confused right now!" I said. The dragon shook his head, as if I had just tried to tell him I was Mr. T or something.

He then looked at me again. "You can't fool me Spyro, I recognize that voice anywhere. But then again, you don't remember anything about that do you?" He asked me. Was... was this Ignitus? No way, how the hell would he write the note? Dude's got no thumbs! "Y... you Ignitus?" I asked hoping to clarify.

The dragon nodded. "Indeed I am, although I go by the Chronicler these days. I sent that note to you, in hopes I could finally bring you home." Ignitus explained. I blinked, not sure what to make of what he just said. "B...but I am home..." I said a bit timidly.

Ignitus shook his head. "No Spyro, you're not, I see that I have much to explain to you." Ignitus said sadly. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear any of it. This was nuts! I was talking to a **dragon** for Pete's sake! "You are not a human Spyro, you're a dragon, a special dragon at that. The **purple** dragon, able to utilize all four breath elements. Tell me, have you been having odd dreams lately? Ones involving dragons?" Ignitus asked me.

P...purple dragon? The hell was this dude talking about?! I'm human! I know I am! I do! But I couldn't lie, yes I was having dreams like that. So I nodded, wondering where the hell he was going with this. "Those weren't dreams Spyro, those were visions of your past life. Memories locked in your subconscious trying to break free. Doubtless you recognize me from a few of them, albeit in different form." Ignitus explained.

Why was it so hard for me to believe this dude was out of his gourd?! He was telling me I was a purple fire breathing lizard! But he was right about one thing yet again, he did resemble the red dragon from my dreams. But this dude **was** wrong! I know who I am! "No... no you're wrong! You must have the wrong guy! I'm not Spyro! I'm Jason Allen! I know who I am!" I lashed out. I wanted no more of this! I wasn't going to be told who I was by some fictional flying monster!

Ignitus shot me a glare, not pleased with my outburst. "Spyro, I know this is a lot for you to take in. But I need you to hear me out, there is no Jason Allen, there never was. You don't exist here, this is all the ancestors doing, when you tired to save the world from the dark master Malefor, you had to sacrifice yourself to mend the realms, but the ancestors feared you would be needed again, so they put your subconscious in a human body while they tried to reconstruct your body, sadly your memories can only be recovered by you alone. But it's time for you to come home now." Ignitus explained.

I backed away, regretting ever coming here, it couldn't be true! It just couldn't! My life is **not** a lie! I know I exist! "I know who I am!" I said bitterly. Ignitus sighed in disappointment, maybe I finally got him to accept he had the wrong guy? Whatever the case I was done with this! I started to walk away, leaving the dragon alone. However...

"Does the name Cynder mean anything to you?" Ignitus suddenly asked me, making me stop cold. I slowly turned to him. "How do you know that name?" I asked fearfully, no... no this is wrong! He.. he had me, I could see it in his eyes, he knew he had me.

He approached me, "Because I knew her, and so did you. You may not remember, but deep down, you never forgot her." Ignitus explained, I didn't want to believe him. Would you? He was telling me my whole life was a lie, and now he had proof, there was no other way he could have known that name, a name from a dream I **just** had last night. I fell to my knees, broken, defeated, confused, and horrified all at once, everything I knew, everything I loved, was all a lie, a pretend life created by some assholes to keep me busy while they fixed my real body.

Ignitus put his paw on my shoulder. "I'm so sorry Spyro, I never meant to hurt you, but... the Ancestors couldn't let you die like that. **I **couldn't let you die like that." Ignitus told me, I didn't know what to think anymore, who the hell **was** I?! **What** was I?! I felt so alone, so afraid...

I looked into the old dragon's eyes, "I... I'm so confused, I... oh god!" I said, unable to make words. Ignitus embraced me, trying to comfort me in my sorrows.

"I can't imagine what it must be like for you right now, but I promise you it will be alright in the end." Ignitus told me trying in vain to calm me down.

I looked at him again, there was one more thing I needed to know, "What happens now? What about my parents, my friends..." I asked, Ignitus looked away sadly, before telling me his answer. "It will be as if you were never here. The ancestors have already begun erasing Jason Allen from this world, I'm afraid your time here is over." Ignitus told me, I felt my heart sink, just like that? I was erased from existence just like that? I didn't even get to say goodbye to them...

Ignitus then let me go, "Don't despair young dragon, you may have lost your friends here, but you have many more waiting for you back home. I think they've waited long enough for their beloved Spyro to come back." Ignitus said with a smile. I could tell he felt like garbage for doing this to me. I could see how much he cared about me, further solidifying the fact he was telling the truth.

I didn't have much of a choice now, Jason Allen didn't exist anymore, only Spyro remained now. The end of one chapter, and the beginning of another. Ignitus waved his paw and created a portal, motioning for me to follow him through. I did so, knowing it was pointless not to at this point.

We arrived in what looked like a library. There were tons of books scattered around the place, however what caught my attention was something that occupied the center of the room, it was some kind of magic bubble thing, and inside was a small dragon, it was purple in color, with two yellow horns fixed to it's head, a yellow mowhawk running down it's head, yellow underbelly, two yellow wings with orange wing membrane, and a spade shaped tailblade, It's face was peaceful, as if it was asleep. "W..who's that?" I asked, although I had a good idea of who it was.

Ignitus brought his head down near mine. "That's you, the real you." Ignitus said, confirming my theory. I looked back at the purple dragon, to say seeing your own body was weird would be an insult to everyone who knows words. I sighed, knowing that I'd have to ditch my human body one way or another. So why delay it?

As if I already knew what to do, I approached the bubble, entering inside, I felt my body begin to break apart into dust. My perspective instantly changed from where I was standing, to where dragon-me was laying. I opened my eyes to see Ignitus smiling, happy to see me as... me again. I tried to walk, but I wasn't used to four legs so I weaved back and forth like a drunken sailor. "Welcome back, Spyro." Ignitus said as I approached him. "How do you feel?" he added.

I looked over my new body, or... old body... whatever. "Empty.." I said simply. I didn't know what I was feeling actually, I just felt like a huge chunk of me was ripped right out, leaving a giant hole in my heart.

Ignitus sighed sadly. "I don't blame you, hopefully once you see your friends again, you'll find happiness once more." Ignitus told me, I hoped so too, considering I just lost an entire life and traded it for one I knew diddly squat about. This must be what people on the witness protection program feel like. Only with a lot less murderers and a lot more dragons.

I sighed, really regretting actually meeting with Ignitus now, Ignitus waved his paw again, opening another portal. "This leads to outside the walls of Warfang, inside the city you will find your old friends. I should warn you, they've believed you had died during your battle with Malefor. Some of them may not take your return well." Ignitus warned me, oh that's just great, I had no one now, and the people I used to have before I became Jason Allen could possibly hate me for making them think I was dead.

But I had to go, what else could I do? With a deep breath, I went through. "May the ancestors look after you, may they look after us all." Ignitus told me before I found myself warped to a snowy forest. I looked up to see a giant city directly in my path. I was gonna hazard a guess and say this was Warfang.

I approached the city, it was clearly winter time in this place, despite it being June back home. I was always a winter person, pretty much everyone I knew back home hated the winter for varying reasons but not me, I always thought that the snow made things look more peaceful and calm. Granted, the cold wasn't being very kind to me right now considering I was basically butt naked, thankfully it seemed as though dragons weren't cold blooded like most reptiles, although that could have to do with my fire breath or something.

I approached the front gate, there were two dragons standing guard. One was blue, the other red. They spotted me coming in nothing flat, they shot me a glare, like I had done something wrong. "You have some nerve painting yourself in the purple dragon's colors!" The red dragon barked at me. Paint? Well I **was** supposed to be dead, so I doubt they'd think my purpleness was legit. But was painting yourself purple and pretending to be me a thing in this world? "You should have more respect for the purple dragon! He saved all of us during the war!" The red dragon added in anger.

The blue dragon just sat there, clearly just as pissed as his friend about my current color. Worst part was I had no clue what to say. _'Hi I'm Spyro, you may remember me, I saved the world from Malefor! Yeah I know I __**died,**__ but I got better! Now how bout that weather?' _Yeah somehow I didn't see that ending well. The blue dragon then spoke up. "Now back in the city with you, and do wash that paint off! It's very disrespectful." He told me, well at least they were still willing to let me in. However it did make me worry I'd be having this same conversation with everyone else.

The city itself was breathtaking to put it mildly. The architecture looked like it was ripped right from Lord of The Rings, I also noticed that there were no humans here, there were moles, cheetahs, dragons, and other such things, but no humans. I was beginning to think humans didn't exist in this world. It was only then did I realize something...

I had no clue where to go, at all. Who do I look for? Where would I find them? I don't know if asking someone would be helpful, they'd probably think I was just some loon who painted himself purple and was pretending to be me. And I didn't want to end up getting stabbed or something. All I had to go on was a name, Cynder, I had a feeling the black dragoness from my dreams was Cynder, it just seemed to fit for some reason. She could help me, or she'd think I was impersonating her friend and kick the tar out of me. Well it was the best lead I had so hey, it's worth a shot.

The question is where do I find her? Will she even remember me? I walked through the snowy streets, unsure of where to go, just wanting someone, **anyone** to help me. I suddenly found myself in front of some iron gate. Similar to one you'd find in front of a cemetery. For whatever reason I decided to enter, sure why not go inside this place you have no idea what it is? Brilliant strategy Napoleon!

Well my assumption that this was a cemetery didn't seem to be that far off, as I was soon met with a sea of statues, each of a different creature of some kind. However the one in the middle caught my attention immediately. It was made of gold or brass, I couldn't tell under all the snow, but I could tell that it was of me. On the base of the statue there was a plaque.

"_Many great and noble creatures had lost their lives in this horrible war, but your loss will forever be the most tragic, to lose such a noble dragon at such a young age is saddening, however your death was not in vain, for we continue to live thanks to your sacrifice, and we will continue to honor your memory by living our lives that, thanks to you, we can finally enjoy in peace. _

_ Thank you for all that you've done for us all._

_ Spyro"_

It wasn't just a statue, it was my grave, and I had just read my own epitaph. You know Ignitus hadn't exactly told me **what** I had done, just that it somehow saved the world. I felt wrong for being here, these people thought I was dead for so long, and here I am suddenly appearing out of nowhere! I was beginning to think maybe I should leave and forget this whole thing.

However my thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of the cemetery gate opening and closing. Panicking, I hid behind another statue. I peeked out from the corner to see who it was.

And lo and behold, it was Cynder, or who I was assuming was Cynder, she was the black dragoness from my dream at least. She had a sad expression on her face as she looked upon my memorial. I debated with myself whether or not I wanted to approach her, I ultimately decided against it and just kept watching. Cynder looked up to the statue. "It's so hard to believe it's been three years since you died. Everyone else still blames me for what I had done as the Terror of the Skies, it's so hard to bear it all without you there to remind me that it wasn't my fault, I never realized how much I needed you until you were gone." She said to the statue. I felt a tinge of guilt ping in my stomach, realizing what I had been putting her through while I was sitting on my butt playing WOW.

Cynder then broke down suddenly, unable to even look my statue in the face. "It should have been me! It was my fault Malefor was freed! I was the one who killed all those people! I should have been the one to pay the price for my crimes not you! But then again, you'd never let me do that would you? You were always too noble for your own good... I'm so sorry Spyro... I'm sorry..." She said hysterically. It hurt me to watch this, I guess I still had my feelings for her left inside my mind or something. Or maybe it was just my empathy, I was always like that, I always wanted to help people when they needed it. And it was pretty clear she needed it.

I decided to approach her, still unsure how she'd take seeing me alive. Or even if she'd believe it's really me or just some asshole in purple paint. Soon I was right behind the dragoness, I hesitantly poked her back with my claw. "Leave me alone!" She snapped, not even looking at me. I was beginning to rethink my plan here. But I couldn't get myself to leave her here. Not like this. "Didn't you hear me?! I said leave me alo-" She screamed turning to face me, but she stopped cold when she saw my face.

I couldn't tell what she was feeling right now, she just had this shocked expression on her face, and me being the idiot I was just stood there, gawking at her like a dead fish. "Uh... hi?" I managed to say, her face remained unchanged, as if she couldn't believe I was standing right there in front of her. I began to back away, sensing she was probably gonna deck me. But she quickly grabbed my front leg in her claws. "S...Spyro?" She asked me in disbelief. "Y...yeah..." I said nervously.

Then there was silence, we just stood there, staring at one another as the snow fell gently around us. I could see tears welling up in her emerald eyes. "You were alive? This whole time?" She asked me, okay Ja- erm... Spyro, tread carefully here, I don't want to spend my first day back in Warfang in a hospital bed. She then looked angrily towards me. "How could you do that to me?! I thought you were DEAD! Do you know how long I spent blaming myself, wishing I had died instead of you?! Only to find that you were alive! You never once thought to come and spare my feelings?! Why didn't you come back sooner?! Why didn't you tell me, the guardians, Sparx, or anyone that you were alive?!" Cynder snapped at me. I had no idea what to say, she was well within her rights to hate my guts for this, I certainly would.

Well, might as well tell the truth, hopefully it will help me here, or make things ten times worse. "Who's Sparx?" I questioned. I recognized the name but I couldn't quite place it. Cynder's expression changed from royally pissed to confused in a nanosecond. "Your foster brother! How could you forget Sparx? No one could forget that annoying little insect!" Cynder snapped. I had a feeling I was only digging myself into a deeper hole here.

I tried in vain to recall any memory of Sparx but to no avail. "I... I don't remember... I don't remember anything..." I said, trying my hardest to remember anything at all in hopes it could somehow help me here.

Cynder's eyes went so wide I half expected them to fall right out of her skull. "You... you don't remember anything? Anything at all? The swamp? The Guardians? Ignitus? Anything?" She asked me suddenly. I knew who Ignitus was at least. However Cynder didn't give me time to answer. "You lost your memory didn't you?" She asked me sadly. I nodded, to say I felt like crap was an understatement, I had this whole life I left behind, people who had cared about me, and I abandoned them for god knows how long without so much as a simple goodbye.

Cynder then nuzzled me, possibly seeing the guilt written on my face. "It's going to be okay Spyro, we'll get your memory back, I'm just glad you're alive." She told me. Was it going to be okay? I didn't feel like it would be. I had abandoned my friends for years, made them think I was six feet under, they had every right to be pissed at me for this.

I shook my head. "No it's not! I heard what you were saying before I approached you! I made you think I was dead for I don't know how long! How could I do that to you?! I'm such a jerk..." I said hysterically. But Cynder put her paw on my muzzle to shut me up. "It's okay, I forgive you." Cynder told me gently.

Cynder then told me to come along with her to the "Dragon Temple". On the way I explained to her what had happened, me living my life as the human Jason Allen, The Chronicler picking me up and putting me back here, and the dreams I had been having beforehand. She seemed to take interest in that last part. Especially when I had mentioned the last one I had.

"So, was I in that dream?" She asked me, I was hesitant to answer, but I knew she wouldn't stop prodding me until I did. And after what she said was three years dragon realms time of making her think I was dead I owed it to her to be honest.

I looked her in the eyes. "Yeah, you were, you accused me of not caring about you, and that you were just a lost puppy that needed rescuing in my eyes." I answered, not knowing how bad this possibly made me look. "D... did I really make you feel that way?" I asked her, not sure if I wanted the answer.

Cynder however seemed more concerned than anything. "The only thing I thought the whole time you were gone was that it should have been me." She answered. I don't know how I felt about that answer. It was clear I still cared about her despite me not remembering a damn thing about her. And I would rather her not be dead.

Cynder spoke up before I could respond. "I know, you wouldn't want that. But it was how I felt. I deserved it after all, for everything I had done while under Malefor's control." Cynder explained.

I suddenly felt another headache coming on, like the one I had in the parking lot at school. Flashes of a much larger and more menacing Cynder assaulted my brain like some jerk flipping through his Powerpoint presentation. "Spyro?! Spyro! Are you alright?" Cynder asked when I finally came out of it.

I breathed heavily for a bit, before turning to Cynder. "Y...yeah I'm okay. I just... I had some kind of... vision... or flashback or something." I told her. "They were of you, except you were bigger and more menacing." I added, I saw her look away sadly when I mentioned this.

"That was me, when I was under Malefor's control, you had confronted me in Convexity and when you defeated me, you broke his control over me. You could have left me there to die, but you didn't, you brought me with you, you forgave me." She explained to me.

I suddenly remembered it, the fight in convexity, rescuing Ignitus from her castle. "I... I remember... I had to use my Convexity breath to beat you." I told her. She did a double take just to make sure she heard me right. "Do you remember anything else?" She asked me. Sadly no I did not, so I shook my head, clearly disappointing her, I didn't blame her, I kinda wished I had more... fond memories of her than when she almost killed me. But it was a start at least...

* * *

**Author's Notes: Okay, while I felt Spyro's return was a tad rushed, I also felt I didn't want to drag it out either so... yeah...**

**Update 6/24/14: Fixing more dumb typos and a plot hole.**

**Update 9/5/14: Rewrote Spyro's epitaph, to be honest I didn't like the old one too much, it felt to short and a bit soulless to me. I wanted it to show how the people of Warfang felt about his sacrifice.**


	4. Family

**Chapter 3: Family**

* * *

The dragon temple wasn't that far from the memorial. I was still having a difficult time adjusting to walking on four legs instead of two, but Cynder helped me whenever it looked like I was losing my balance. I felt a lot better now than I did when I first got to this world though, I guess knowing I wasn't alone took a lot of the weight off me. I still missed all the friends I made back on Earth, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy Cynder's company.

The Dragon Temple itself was a rather impressive building to put it mildly. The place was HUGE! About the size of a football stadium if I were to hazard a guess. However inside was less impressive, it was your basic stone walls with banners setup. Several different rooms serving various purposes. Not to mention me and Cynder seemed to be the only ones in here. "Where is everyone?" I asked Cynder.

Cynder stopped and turned towards me. "The guardians should be somewhere in here." Cynder said before continuing to lead me down the halls.

Another thought crossed my mind, "Cynder, how do you think the guardians will react to me being... well... a lot less... dead than they thought I was?" I asked her, I dreaded the answer she'd give me, but I'd rather be prepared to have my head chewed off than to be blindsided by it.

Cynder paused for a second, as if debating whether or not she wanted to answer. "I'm not going to lie to you Spyro, I don't think they'll take it well. Volteer might but he's Volteer, it's almost impossible to get him angry. It's Cyril and Terrador I'm worried about. They all took your death pretty hard. We all did." Cynder answered, yeah that didn't help Cynder, but at least I had an idea what reaction I'd get.

And with that, we found one of them, I recognized him as the yellow dragon from my dream. He had his back to us as he fiddled with a bookcase. I went to approach but Cynder stopped me. "I think it'd be better if I eased him into this. Don't come out until I tell you to okay?" Cynder asked me. Yeah I liked this plan a lot better, he's less likely to punt me out the window this way.

Cynder approached the yellow dragon, which I had a hunch was Volteer, he turned to Cynder with a warm smile. "Why hello Cynder, I do hope you're in better spirits today." Volteer said kindly.

"Hello Volteer, yeah I am actually." Cynder replied and simultaneously proving my theory of this being Volteer correct.

Volteer seemed surprised by Cynder's demeanor. "And may I ask as to why this is?" Volteer inquired. I then saw Cynder motion for me to come into the room, well, here goes nothing...

I walked in, I saw Volteer's jaw drop when he saw me, I had a feeling I was going to get this a lot. "I found him in the cemetery. He doesn't remember anything at all though, but he's alive!" Cynder said excitedly, however Volteer just stared at me like I had three heads.

He then walked over to me, looking me over as if to make sure I was actually Spyro. "By the ancestors... it is you... y... you're alive!" Volteer said, gobsmacked that I wasn't as dead as he thought I was. "Are you certain you can't remember anything?" He then asked me. Sounding more concerned than shocked now.

I tired once again to pry anything I could about my dragon life from my brain but once again came out empty handed. "No... sorry." I said in defeat. Volteer then grew a warm smile.

"It's alright Spyro, I'm certain you'll regain your lost memories eventually. I'm just glad to see you alive and well." Volteer said, well that went well. Is it too much to hope the other guardians will react similarly?

Volteer then looked to Cynder. "Cynder, may I speak to you in privet for a minute?" Volteer asked Cynder, she looked to me, silently asking if it was okay, I gave her a nod and she went off with the electric guardian.

Wait... how'd I know that he was the electric guardian? Well his name was **Volt**eer and his wings were shaped like lightening bolts so it's possible I just put two and two together. Or maybe I was finally unraveling the tangled mess that was my memories.

However my joy over finally remembering something was cut short by the sounds of claws scraping on the stone floor, another dragon had just so happened to be walking down the hall I was in, I recognized him as the bulky green dragon from my dream. He stopped cold the second he saw me. "Uh... hi?" I squeaked, this dragon definitely looked like the kind you don't want to mess with.

However, he then suddenly trapped me in a rock formation of some kind. "IMPOSTER!" He barked as he did this. I was caught completely off guard and yelped in surprise as I was trapped. "You have some nerve impersonating the purple dragon heathen! I should kill you now just for that!" He snarled at me, I meanwhile was absolutely terrified. What could I do? Cynder and Volteer were in the other room, talking to him myself was out of the question, no way in **hell** he'd believe I was who I said I was, especially since I don't remember anything so I couldn't prove it either.

But I had to try at least, if anything to keep him from killing me long enough for Cynder and Volteer to intervene. "Wait! I... I'm not an imposter! I swear I'm not!" I said sounding quite pathetic. I chanced a look at the dragon, yeah he didn't buy that for a second.

He tightened the rock prison, crushing me under the pressure. "You must think me very thick imposter, Spyro died three years ago in his fight with Malefor! Who are you? And what is your business here?!" He growled. I was so gonna die wasn't I?

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

I followed Volteer to the back of his library. "What's this about?" I asked. Volteer paused for a moment before putting an end to this little mystery.

"Cynder, I know you must be very excited to have Spyro back, however we cannot rule out the possibility that he isn't who he says he is." Volteer told me. No! No way! This was the real Spyro! I know it is! How could he say that? He looked like Spyro, he sounded like Spyro, and he even still acted like Spyro.

Volteer noticed how upset I was by this. "Cynder, I know it's not a thought you wish to entertain, but you have to admit that it is a bit odd that he only chose until now to return, and that he somehow still has no memory." Said Volteer.

I still refused to admit it. It couldn't be true! It just couldn't! I know this is really Spyro, and if I have to go against the guardians to protect him then I was more than willing to do just that! "You're wrong. I know it's really him!" I said bitterly. Volteer just sighed and shook his head in disappointment.

However before he could say more we suddenly heard Spyro cry out. Volteer and I rushed out of the library to see that Terrador had found Spyro, and wasn't too happy to see him. "WHO ARE YOU?!" Terrador screamed as he tightened the earth he had Spyro trapped in.

Spyro screamed as the rocks crushed his bones. I had to stop him! I can't lose Spyro again! Not like this! "TERRADOR STOP! That's really Spyro!" I pleaded as I tugged on his front leg.

Terrador turned to me, the anger on his face unchanged. "Preposterous! Spyro died Cynder! This is an imposter! A fraud!" Terrador barked. I looked at Spyro to see he was absolutely terrified. I didn't blame him given the situation.

Volteer then stepped in. "Terrador please! I know it seems unlikely but you must also admit it is a possibility that this is Spyro." Volteer pleaded. Terrador glared at Volteer, but relented and freed Spyro from the rock prison.

I quickly rushed to his aid. "Spyro are you alright?" I asked, Spyro winced as I helped him to his feet.

"I'll be okay." Spyro said, I sighed in relief, I should have known better than to leave him alone in the temple, I just never thought that Terrador would react this way. But then again I can't blame him, after all Spyro was supposed to be dead, and it wasn't impossible for a creature to shape shift into Spyro's form. But I knew this was the real Spyro, I could just tell.

"This is **not** Spyro Volteer! He died! This imposter should be KILLED!" Terrador yelled at Volteer, I made sure to position myself between Terrador and Spyro, no way was I going to let him hurt Spyro, it was my turn to protect him.

Volteer was trying in vain to calm the raging earth guardian. "Terrador please! You must remember, we never found a body, I find his sudden return suspicious too, but I won't even consider harming him until we know for certain!" Volteer asserted.

I don't get why Terrador was being so hostile! It was so unlike him, I can understand him not wanting to risk an imposter attacking us, but he was hell bent on killing Spyro, I could tell from the look on his face. Spyro himself was too terrified to speak, him being a small dragon with no memory I didn't blame him for not wanting to mess with the much larger Terrador. "Look at him Terrador! If he had ill intentions why would he show so much fear towards you? I'm beginning to think that there is much more to this than you wishing to defend the temple from doppelgangers!" Volteer said.

Terrdor's face remained unchanged, "If he was the real Spyro he'd know not to fear me!" Terrador pointed out, making it clear he didn't know about Spyro's lack of memory. I stepped forward. "That's because he has no memory!" I said, but Terrador simply snorted at this. "Convenient." He commented.

You know, I was about ten seconds from beating the stuffing out of Terrador myself! He seemed to flat out not **want** this to be the real Spyro! Spyro meanwhile was still freaking out. "Come on I'm really who I say I am! What do I have to do to get you to believe me?!" He pleaded, his voice cracking slightly.

Terrador shot Spyro a death glare. "There's nothing you can do imposter! Just give it up and reveal your true form..." Terrador said. Spyro then cowered behind me, it was so weird to see him like this, but again he had no memory, which meant he had no clue how to fight. So if Terrador did end up attacking him it wouldn't end well. Spyro's eyes then shot open. Similarly to when he recalled my days as Terror of the Skies. "I... I rescued you, at the munitions forge... you stopped me from going after Cynder when she had Ignitus, then you taught me how to use my earth breath, I remember you always admired my warrior like will." Spyro said.

Terrador froze, Spyro had him. He had to believe him now! But then Terrador shut his eyes and looked away. "It cannot be... it just... it can't!" He said. It seemed that even Volteer was shocked Spyro remembered that.

Volteer then looked to me and Spyro. "Cynder, I think it's best you take Spyro and go." Volteer said to us, I understood, I could see Terrador needed time to let it sink in that Spyro was really back. So I led Spyro away, I could tell he was glad to be able to get away from Terrador after what had just happened.

Spyro then looked to me. "Well what now? After that... I don't know if I want to meet Cyril." Spyro said to me, I couldn't blame him for feeling that way.

"You're going to have to eventually Spyro." I told him. Spyro groaned, he must have not been much of a fighter when he was a human, because he seemed to be kind of... weak. At least weaker than he was when I knew him. "Maybe we should head down to the swamp and meet Sparx, trust me if he reacts the same way Terrador did I doubt he could do any damage. Fighting was never exactly Sparx's forte." I added, I couldn't resist taking jabs at Sparx, he was such a little jerk it was hard not to.

Although it was hard seeing him the day we thought Spyro died, he was devastated, and blamed me for it. I still remember him losing it, screaming at me how I had promised to keep him safe. And then he left for the swamp the next day. I doubt he'd be happy to see me again, but seeing Spyro with me would probably make up for that.

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

On the way to the swamp Cynder had told me how I was raised here, apparently I used to think I was a dragonfly once, I don't know **how** that works, but then again I was sometimes the kind of idiot who'd never question why he was ten times bigger than my relatives and looked nothing like them. I once had a giant pimple the size of Texas on my forehead that I hadn't noticed for weeks until one of my friends pointed it out to me. So I could believe that I thought I was a giant purple dragonfly for most of my childhood.

The swamp did have a familiarity to it. However it was still a swamp so trudging through it was bittersweet to put it nicely. It didn't take us too long to locate Sparx, he was just sort of flying around. Cynder walked ahead of me, I stayed behind so Cynder could break it to him easy.

Sparx as on Cynder in seconds, little guy was fast I'd give him that. "What are **you** doing here?!" He hissed at Cynder. Cynder had explained to me that she and Sparx weren't exactly on good terms. So I expected him to react to her that way.

Cynder however kept her composure. "Sparx, I know you and I don't exactly see eye to eye-" Cynder began but Sparx instantly cut her off. "After you killed my brother? Yeah you could say that." Sparx interrupted. "Yeah, about that..." Cynder began before motioning for me to come forth.

I did so, feeling a bit more comfortable than when I approached Volteer, at least if Sparx got pissed off at me he couldn't hurt me, being only an inch tall and all. Sparx quickly flew right in my face, surprising me, he almost flew into my mouth in fact. Thankfully I was able to pull my head back before I literally ate my brother. "Spyro! That you?! Oh man you're alive! This... this is amazing! I missed you bro where have you been?" Sparx said excitedly buzzing around my head.

Well at least he was taking it well. "Thinking I was a human being for three whole years apparently." I said dryly. Realizing how stupid it sounded when I said it out loud. Sparx seemed as confused as any sane person would at this statement.

Thankfully Cynder was there to clear things up. "The ancestors had him living in another world as a human while they repaired his body. Unfortunately he doesn't remember a thing about his life here." Cynder explained, I saw how disappointed this made the little dragonfly.

However he quickly perked up. "Ah... you never had that much in your head anyway." Sparx teased, yeah that's something you say to your long lost brother you thought was dead for three years, jerk. "Hold on, I have to tell mom and dad about this. Be right back!" Sparx said before flying off to tell his, erm, our parents that I was alive.

I looked to Cynder. "Well he took that well." I commented, kinda surprised how happy he was to see me again.

"Sparx was devastated by your death, I think he's just happy you're back again for him to annoy." Cynder replied.

Sparx then came back with two other dragonflies, whom I assumed were my foster parents. "See? I told you! He's alive! Isn't it great?" Sparx said to them excitedly. The two dragon flies then looked me over making sure I was really Spyro.

The male was the first to speak. "I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again son." He said warmly.

"I just wish I could remember my life here." I said sadly, dad shook his head at this.

"It's quite alright Spyro, the fact you're even standing here, alive and well, is enough for me and your mother." He reassured me, mom nodding in agreement. "Besides, you'll get your memories back eventually, I'm sure of it." He added.

I suddenly felt another headache, images of a younger me and Sparx playing around the swamp flashed through my mind. When it finally stopped everyone had a worried expression on their faces. "I... I'm okay... I just... I'm just remembering something..." I said in hopes of calming their nerves.

Everyone still seemed quite confused. "This happened before, he recalled my time under Malefor's control last time it happened." Cynder explained, I don't think that quite made mom and dad feel much better. But at least they had a better idea of what just happened. Cynder then looked to me. "What did you see?" She asked me.

I recalled a certain image I had seen in that flash, and it wasn't exactly one of Sparx's finest moments. "I remember Sparx getting eaten by a frogweed." I said playfully. Everyone but Sparx had a little laugh.

"Oh come on! Of all the things you had to remember it had to be that right?" Sparx said, both frustrated and humiliated.

I remembered a few more things than that, but I just couldn't resist messing with him. But this was a good sign at least, I was regaining my memories. I just wish it didn't have to hurt so much.

* * *

_**Meanwhile at the White Isle...**_

* * *

It seemed that Spyro was doing quite well for himself, he had rekindled several lost friendships since I had sent him back. I could see that he still longed for the friends he made as a human, however this could not be helped. And at least he was in friendly company now.

**THUMP!**

I stopped at the sound of a book hitting the floor. I turned to see an all too familiar book had fallen from it's place, I slowly moved the tome towards me, knowing full well who's book this was. I opened the book to check to see if anything changed.

It did.

I stared in disbelief, this was impossible! He was gone! Sealed away in the core of the earth! However the tomes were rarely wrong. I had hoped Spyro could have regained his memories at his own pace, however now it was urgent he regained them sooner.

For Malefor had escaped his prison, and no doubt he sought revenge for his defeat. May the ancestors help us all...

* * *

**A/N: Oh Noez! Mean old farmer Malefor has come back to ruin our day! Is Spyro a bad enough dude to regain his memories and stop the Dark Master once more? Stay tuned!**


	5. A Place To Call Home

**Chapter 4: A Place To Call Home**

* * *

Well, I had to face the music sometime, I couldn't stay in the swamp forever, and I had to face Cyril eventually. I just had a bad feeling he'd try to kill me like Terrador did. I tried to pry any memories of Cyril I could out of my mind if only to help prepare me for what I was about to face, but once again my memories refused to be found. It seemed as though I only remembered things when they were referenced or in Terrador's case, when I was under heavy stress.

I had resorted to asking Cynder what Cyril was like, apparently he's a snobbish, egomaniac who constantly brags about having "royal blood" according to her. As you can well imagine this didn't help ease my stress at all. I've dealt with people who've had egos before, it was very easy to set them off, and the difference here was that this one could freeze me solid like Sub-Zero from Mortal Kombat. I just hope he didn't have a tendency to rip spines out like him too.

I looked around at the forest we were currently in, it reminded me of back home, well my human home anyway. Since Maine was about 90% pine tree. I hadn't thought about it much with all the madness surrounding me right now, but I was beginning to get a touch homesick. I missed the simple life I had before, when my biggest worry was when the next Avengers movie was coming out. But I knew I could never go back, Ignitus had said I was completely erased from that world, forgotten. Even if I did go back no one would remember me. It only dawned on me now how messed up that was. I had a life there and it was just deleted like an embarrassing photo.

I think I was beginning to worry Cynder with my demeanor, as she kept giving me this concerned look. "Spyro, are you okay?" She asked me.

I debated whether or not I should tell her, but again, I promised myself I'd be honest with her, so I did. "I'm just, thinking of my life as a human, all the people I left behind. It gets to me you know? How I was just... deleted from that world. Forgotten." I explained.

Cynder seemed hurt by this, "Spyro, there's nothing for you there anymore. I think it's time you moved on." Cynder said.

Did I just hear her right? Get over it?! That was my **life**! It's not like an old shirt you can just replace with a new one! I had a **life** there! Friends and family that cared about me! And I'll **never** see them again! "Cynder that was my life! I can't just forget it." I said to her.

Cynder didn't seem to be willing to back down though. God knows why. "Spyro, that wasn't really your life, your life is here! Just let it go! It's not healthy for you to torment yourself over a fake life like this!" She snapped at me.

That did it, I was pissed now! "IT'S NOT THAT EASY! You have no idea what it's like! Knowing I'll never see them again! My family, my friends, everything that I knew and loved just taken from me out of the blue!" I snapped back.

I suddenly felt an unfamiliar sensation welling up within me. My attempts to calm myself down like I'd usually do in a situation like this were rendered useless, for some reason I just couldn't let this go. I could hear a faint voice in the back of my head coaxing me on. I could see Sparx's eyes widen like dinner plates. "Uhhh, Cynder, I think you should back off..." Sparx said to Cynder.

Cynder however refused to do so. "He has to get over it if he's ever going to regain what he lost here, he needs to realize that life isn't worth killing himself over!" Cynder said, I had never felt so angry before, I had forgot what it was I was even mad about at this point.

I managed to get a glimpse of one of my paws, instead of it's usual purple it was becoming jet black. Was this normal? I didn't care, I wasn't going to have Cynder telling me the people I cared about were meaningless and deserved to be forgotten! She didn't know them! Not like I did! "Take it back... TAKE IT BACK!" I screamed as I tackled her to the ground. "They were my family! My friends! But you don't give a damn about that do you?! You're just pissed they took me away from you for three years! Who cares how **I** feel! As long as you have your precious purple dragon back who gives a damn?!" I snarled at her.

I definitely got to her with that one, she was hurt by my accusation. "It's not like that Spyro! I just don't want you to drive yourself insane over this!" She said. I was beginning to regret my actions now, what the hell am I thinking? Cynder's been helping me adjust to this life since I found her, she protected me from Terrador! How... how could I say that? I felt the strange sensation subside, my scales had returned to their usual purple.

I got off of Cynder, who at this point was in tears. What have I done? She probably hates me now! "Cynder... Cynder I didn't mean it! I... I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me!" I tried to explain, hoping in vain I could somehow salvage our friendship.

Cynder however, somehow regained her composure. "No... it's okay Spyro, I know it wasn't really you saying that." Cynder told me. Uhh... yeah I did say that, are you insane?

Cynder saw how confused I was by this. "It happened during the Eternal Night, shortly after you rescued me from Convexity. You were trying to stop an ape named Gaul from resurrecting the Dark Master, when you were caught in some kind of dark energy. Ever since then, when you're under extreme emotional distress you shift into a dark version of yourself. I should have known better than to trigger it." Cynder explained to me.

Okay, that would have been nice to know before. "That doesn't excuse what I said! You've been doing nothing but helping me since we met, I should be a better friend than to attack you like that." I said, I didn't get how she could shrug that off so easily! I said some horrible things to her! I accused her of not caring about me! I **attacked** her! She's well within her rights to deck me right now.

However Cynder just chuckled softly. "You were always so quick to blame yourself. Spyro it's okay, I should have been more understanding. They **were** your family at one point. But I still think it'd be better if you let them go, I don't want to see you drive yourself insane over this." Cynder replied.

Sparx suddenly flied in between us. "Not that this isn't a touching moment or anything, but if you've forgotten, we have an ice guardian to meet up with?" Sparx pointed out, behold Sparx the dragonfly, master of mood killing. He'd make a horrible therapist.

Me and Cynder silently agreed to put that little incident behind us. Neither of us being particularly proud of what we had said back there. I never wanted to shift into that dark form again, it scared me how dead set I was on killing her. Oh god, if I had actually acted on that... I don't want to even think about that.

However, soon enough, I had a problem. "Uhh... I think I have to... alleviate myself." I said embarrassed.

Cynder gave me a stern look. "I don't like the idea of leaving you alone out here with no memory. There's a lot of dangerous things out here." She said.

"What you want to watch me take a piss?" I said dryly. She shook her head no like any sane person would. So she let me go off to empty my bladder, on the promise that I wouldn't go too far.

I went a little ways away, until I found a suitable tree, after I was done I turned to go back to Cynder but heard the sound of an arrow being shot. I knew the sound because I had taken Archery in PE class once. I know Cynder would ring my little purple neck for wandering off unsupervised, but my curiosity got the better of me and I followed the sound, hoping whoever was shooting these arrows wouldn't send them my way.

I finally arrived at the source of the sound, the first thing I saw was three targets lined up in a row, each with about fifty arrows poking out of them, however the archer himself was not what I was expecting at all.

It was what only could be described as an anthropomorphic cheetah. His fur was yellow and longer than a normal cheetah's, making him look more like a bobcat than a cheetah. He had some kind of red robe on, a yinyang buckle holding it in place, two cloth gauntlets adorned to his wrists, and a long bow clutched in his paws. The archer didn't seem to notice I was there, as he took another arrow from his quiver and shot it right at the target in the middle, hitting the bulls-eye dead center. Damn this dude could give Green Arrow a run for his money.

I figured pissing off a guy with a bow and arrow wasn't such a good idea so I went to leave, however a twig snapping under my paw gave my position away almost immediately, the archer quickly aimed his bow in my direction as I hid inside the bush. "I know you're in there! Whoever you are come out now or I **will** shoot!" The archer warned me.

Not exactly wanting to become a pin cushion right now I gave myself up. "D...don't shoot! I... I was just leaving." I said, putting my paws up in the air in surrender. Which was rather difficult since I was a quadruped now.

The archer grew the same gobsmacked expression pretty much everyone else did when they saw me. W...was this someone I knew? "Spyro? I... is that you?" The archer asked. Yup, called that one.

I better answer him, before he freaks out and I end up getting a nice soft arrow in my brain. "Y..yeah.." I said nervously. Hoping he wouldn't react violently like Terrador did.

The archer dropped his bow and embraced me. "Everyone said you were dead, but I always had my doubts old friend." The archer said before releasing me from his death grip. Good thing too, he was kinda crushing me and I was still a bit sore from my run-in with Terrador.

I heard the rustling of bushes from behind me, I turned to see a very pissed Cynder emerge from the brush. Oh crap! I forgot I promised not to wander off! She's so going to kill me. "Spyro I told you not to-" She started before seeing the archer. "Hunter! What are you doing here?" Cynder asked the Archer.

The archer, who I guess went by the name "Hunter". This being the first **normal** name I had heard since I got here, looked to Cynder. "Hello Cynder, I was just practicing my archery when Spyro here happened upon me, I take it you already know of Spyro's return?" Hunter asked with a small laugh.

"Yeah, turns out he was living in another world until recently. He has no memory of his life here, that's why I didn't want him wandering off on his own!" Cynder said glaring at me. A nervous gulp my only response.

"Do the guardians know?" Hunter asked Cynder. "Just Terrador and Volteer, we haven't gotten the chance to tell Cyril yet." Cynder answered. Hunter just nodded, he then looked in my direction. "Well I hope you regain your memories soon Spyro, things haven't been the same around here without you." Hunter said.

"You and me both." I replied, oddly Hunter hadn't triggered any of my memories, I guess I didn't know him too well. Or my brain was trolling me again. Oh well, I have plenty of time to remember things.

We left Hunter to his business as we made our way to the dragon temple. We finally reached Warfang, the citizens were still giving me stink eyes, I guess they all still thought I was an idiot in purple paint. Seriously was this a thing? Did people usually go around pretending they were me, I'll have to ask Cynder sometime.

However I noticed a familiar face amongst the crowd, it was the blue dragon from my dreams, I was gonna hazard a guess and say this was Cyril, since all of the other guardians were in my dream, it only made sense for Cyril to be there too. He was overseeing some kind of repair job some moles were doing. The building itself wasn't all that remarkable, just a simple hut.

"Come now lads! Homes are scarce around here! And we'll never house everyone if you keep lollygagging around!" The blue dragon chastised the moles.

I nudged Cynder and pointed out the blue dragon to her. "Is that Cyril?" I asked her. She seemed quite surprised that I pointed this out.

"Y..yes that is, how did you know?" Cynder asked me. "He was in my dream, and since Volteer and Terrador where there, I figured he'd be too." I explained.

Sparx wasted no time in flying up to the Ice Guardian, oh man what is he doing? "Hey frosty! Long time no see!" Sparx greeted Cyril.

I could hear Cyril grown from where I was. "I thought I got rid of you when you left? I should have known I wasn't so lucky." Cyril said in annoyance.

Sparx however was undeterred. "Well about that, see, I wasn't planning on coming back since Spyro was gone and all, but well..." Sparx trailed off before leading Cyril towards me, and... yup there it is, another blank stare. This was getting to be comical at this point. However my heart sank when he grew an angry expression, oh no not again! I'm still sore from Terrador!

He stormed up to me, me panicking like a scolded child at this point. "All this time? You were alive ALL this time?!" He yelled at me. Well at least he didn't think I was an imposter. That had to count for something right? Right? Someone say right!

Cynder was quick to my defense. "Calm down! The ancestors were repairing his body all that time, it wasn't his fault! Besides he doesn't remember anything!" Cynder said. Cyril however was still royally pissed off.

Cyril brought his face to mine, my heart was pumping a mile a minute. "You have no idea what you put me or my fellow guardians through! Volteer was heartbroken, Terrador was near catatonic, Cynder was inconsolable! And you think you can just show up three years later and all is forgiven?! I suppose Ignitus is alive too! Or is it just you?" Cyril snapped at me. I could tell him that he was right about Ignitus, but I had the feeling that would only piss him off even more.

"I...I'm sorry." I said, it was the best I could do, he was right after all, I hurt a lot of people vanishing like that. And if I was in Cyril's position, I'd be pretty pissed too.

However my apology only fanned the flames. "Oh you're "sorry"? Sorry doesn't fix all the pain you cause us! We thought you were dead! I'm shocked Cynder is so quick to forgive you given she took your "death" the hardest!" Cyril screamed at me, at this point everyone in the city had their eyes on us.

I was heartbroken, he was right, I shouldn't be forgiven. I hurt so many people when I left this world. What gave me the right to come back here and expect everything to go back to normal? I closed my eyes and ran. I couldn't do this anymore! I couldn't hurt them anymore! I refuse to! I'm such a piece of sh**...

* * *

Spyro had darted off, tears soaking his purple face, unable to cope with Cyril's words. "Spyro wait!" I called to him, but if he heard me he didn't show it, he just kept running until he vanished from sight. I turned angrily towards Cyril. "I hope you're proud of yourself! He already felt awful about leaving us, he didn't need you confirming it!" I said bitterly.

Cyril however was unfazed by my words. "Cynder, you know how it felt when we thought he was gone, I can forgive a lot, but not that. And neither should you." Cyril said coldly.

"Why can't you just be happy he's alive?! I haven't forgotten how much it hurt to lose him! I will **never** forget how much it hurt! But that doesn't mean we need to shun him like a monster for it!" I snapped back, I didn't care how much of a scene I was causing, I wasn't going to take this!

Cyril however was never one to give up an argument. "You're way out of line Cynder! He'll come back, I know him too well to think otherwise. You should have expected this reaction! And so should he." Cyril snapped.

I turned around and walked away. "And where are you going?!" Cyril asked me as I left.

I turned to him. "I'm going to find Spyro." I said coldly before going on my way.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

I had managed to get out of the city, I knew exactly where I was going, I was going to see Ignitus, and leave. I didn't deserve to be here, not after I made them suffer for so long. How could I think I could just come back? Pretend things were the way they were before? How arrogant of me. Problem was I had no clue where exactly Ignitus was. He kinda teleported me out of the White Isle.

However it seemed I would have to look, because lo and behold, there he was, sitting the forest, as if he was waiting for me. He turned to me, and noticed the tears in my eyes. "Spyro? Are you alright? What happened?" Ignitus asked me.

"I want to go back." I said to him plainly, a look of shock washed over his face. "Spyro, I can't do that, your place is here." Ignitus told me. "I don't deserve to be here! I hurt them when I left, I can't make up for that! I just can't! Please Ignitus I don't know what to do!" I told him hysterically.

"Spyro, I warned you that some people wouldn't react well to your return, but don't think for a minute that you don't deserve to be here. What happened was not your fault, I know you better than to think you'd ever intentionally hurt your friends." Ignitus told me, wiping a tear from my eye with his claw. "Leaving won't solve anything, you're needed here. More so than I had originally thought." Ignitus said.

I looked at him, confused as to what he meant by that. "What?" I asked, Ignitus sighed, clearly not wanting to tell me. "The Dark Master Malefor has returned. Doubtless he'll be seeking revenge on you for his defeat. I'm afraid you'll need to regain your memories faster than I would have liked, if you are to stop him once more." Ignitus explained.

This was officially the worst day in my life, I was taken from my life and put into another one I didn't even know about until today, Cyril and Terrador hated my guts, and now the guy who put me in this situation to begin with was coming back to kick my ass for stopping him. God why can't I just wake up in my bed, everything back to the way it was before?

Ignitus sighed. "I'm sorry Spyro, I know this has been a very stressful day for you, but as you can well imagine, I had no choice, it's why I was out here looking for you in the first place." Ignitus told me.

"I just want it all to stop..." I told him. Ignitus was doing his best to make me feel better, but given my situation it wasn't easy.

"I know Spyro, but these things are out of our control." Ignitus told me.

"**SPYRO?!"**

I looked around to see where that voice came from, it wasn't one in my head this time as it was clear Ignitus had heard it too. "What was that?" I asked.

Ignitus looked down at me. "Cynder, she's looking for you. You may not think you deserve to regain your old friendships, but others feel differently. Go... find her." Ignitus told me.

I was hesitant to go, but Ignitus had a point, was it right for me to abandon Cynder? She did her best to help me adjust to life here, and it was clear she had missed me a lot. And what about Sparx? He was so happy to see me alive again. I couldn't just leave him either, Ignitus was right, whether I deserved it or not, my place was here. So I left to find Cynder and Sparx.

It didn't take long, I saw her with Sparx calling out for me. She finally managed to spot me and ran up to me. "Spyro! There you are! I was so worried!" Cynder said nuzzling me.

Sparx flew up to me. "Don't listen to frost head back there, he'll get over it eventually." Sparx said.

"I'm sorry for running off, I just... what he said..." I tried to explain to them.

Cynder stopped me though. "It's alright, just don't take what he said to heart, it wasn't your fault you left. We're just glad to have you back." Cynder said.

However Sparx and Cynder soon grew shocked expressions, I turned around to see Ignitus had followed me. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised by your reactions." Ignitus said with a small laugh.

"I...Ignitus?! But... but you died!" Cynder said, flabbergasted that Ignitus was a lot less dead than she remembered.

Ignitus moved in closer, and sat down. "Indeed I did, but instead of passing on to the heavens, I was chosen to be The Chronicler of the new age." Ignitus explained.

"What are you doing here then?" Asked Sparx, still floored by this whole thing.

"Malefor is back, and I'm afraid he may be targeting Spyro, seeking revenge for his defeat." Ignitus said gravely. I saw Cynder instantly grow worried, I admit I didn't remember... anything at all about Malefor, but given the reaction Cynder and Sparx had to this news, it didn't seem like he was the kind of guy you can just kick in the shins and run away from.

Cynder was the first to speak. "But... Spyro can't remember anything, not even how to fight! There's no way he could take Malefor in his current state!" Cynder said, thanks for that one Cynder, as if I didn't feel helpless enough already!

Ignitus seemed to know how hopeless this was, but knew we had to at least try. "I'm well aware Cynder, however there is no doubt in my mind that after he exacts his revenge, that he will attempt to finish his work. If we are to survive, Spyro must regain his memory before that time comes." Ignitus said.

I'm so going to die aren't I?


	6. Nightmare

**Chapter 5: Nightmare**

* * *

Cynder lead me back to Warfang, we were both getting pretty cold from the winter weather, the fact it was now nightfall didn't help matters. She decided to take me to her house before confronting the guardians again, sounded good to me, it was probably best to give Cyril time to calm down anyway.

We arrived at Cynder's place, it was a simple home, two windows, and some kind of cloth or rag serving as a door, which made sense since dragons didn't have thumbs. However I doubted it did much to stop thieves. But then again, who was stupid enough to steal from a dragon anyway?

She lead me inside, it was warmer inside the house but not by much. The house itself was pretty simple, a few pillows which I assumed were for sleeping laid scattered along the floor. A stone fireplace tucked in the corner. And some kind of drinking thing like the ones farm animals drink from. "I know it's not much, but homes are kinda scarce here, we're still rebuilding from the war." Cynder said.

Sparx flew around the place, inspecting it. "Jeeze, this place is a dump." Sparx commented, earning an annoyed look from Cynder.

"Sparx, Cynder's inviting us into her home, would it kill you to be a little grateful?" I said to my dragonfly foster brother. You know I never thought that was a sentence I'd ever say.

Sparx huffed. "You have no memory at all but yet you still nag me like an old lady. Some things never change I guess." Sparx said dryly as he continued to fly around the house.

"I do **not** nag you!" I said defensively. If Sparx heard me he didn't show it as he just continued to buzz around not unlike a mosquito.

Cynder shook her head. "Don't waste your time Spyro, everything you say comes in one end and goes through the other." Cynder said. I couldn't stop myself from snickering.

However our little moment was interrupted by a knocking on the outside walls. I guess that's how we knocked on doors when we didn't have... you know... doors. Cynder and I looked at each other before she went over to the doorway and moved the cloth to reveal who was behind it.

It was Terrador.

I felt my heart begin pumping with anxiety upon seeing him. What was he doing here? How'd he know I was here? "Terrador? What are you doing here?" Cynder asked the earth guardian. Terrador looked at me then back to Cynder. "I came here to ask you if you knew where Spyro was, but it appears he's already here, if you don't mind, I wish to speak with him, privately." Terrador explained.

Yeah how about no? Last time we were alone together you tried to crush my ribs like a Dixie cup! Cynder seemed to be just as trusting given the expression on her face. Terrador sighed. "I should have expected this reaction. I don't know how much it's worth, but you have my word I will not harm him. I just want to talk." Terrador said.

Something was beginning to tell me he was telling the truth. I don't know what it was, but something in me was willing to trust him. Cynder didn't feel the same though as she was still quite skeptical. "Cynder, it's alright, I won't go far." I told her.

She of course did not seem willing to trust the earth guardian, but I reassured her I'd be okay. For some reason I was willing to trust Terrador right now. I stopped questioning these things a while ago and just came to the conclusion nothing about my brain made sense anymore.

I followed Terrador outside, keeping my eyes on him in case he did decide to try to kill me again. He stopped and turned to me once we were a good distance away. "I want to apologize for what happened last we met. I of all dragons should have known to keep my emotions in check." Terrador apologized.

Was this all he seriously dragged me out here for? An apology? There had to be more than that. "Well in your defense, you didn't exactly have much reason to believe I'm really Spyro." I replied.

Terrador looked off to the side before continuing. "I should have gone with you." He said suddenly. I tilted my head, completely lost as to what the hell he meant by that. He seemed to notice this too. "When you went to fight Malefor, I should have gone with you. But I thought, I **hoped** Ignitus would have been able to keep you two safe. But as you can see I was wrong." Terrador elaborated.

I was still wondering why he was telling me this, I didn't really remember much about the fight with Malefor, let alone the circumstances leading into it. But Terrador just kept going. "When we learned you and Ignitus hadn't survived, it was devastating, my friend since childhood, and my only pupil. Both gone, just like that. Two dear friends I'd never see again. I never stopped blaming myself for not going with him. I shouldn't have let Ignitus go alone, but I trusted him." Terrador continued.

"Then... when I saw you earlier today at the temple, I was furious, confused, I convinced myself you weren't the real Spyro, just a fake, a facade to infiltrate the temple. But deep down I knew it wasn't the case. I didn't even want to consider the idea you would abandon us only to return three years later. But the more I thought about it, the more I understood." Terrador continued. I just stood there and listened, his actions back at the temple were beginning to make more sense to me now, him seeing me there, very much alive, I'd wanna ring my purple neck too.

"I understood that you wouldn't do that if it could be helped. You were better than that, I know that. I don't ask you to forgive my actions, I just want you to understand them." Terrador said sadly before going to walk off.

"I forgive you." I said simply, causing him to stop in his tracks. He craned his head in my direction, clearly not expecting me to be so quick to forgive him.

He gave me a simple smile. "Thank you Spyro." Terrador said before going on his way.

Well, that make two guardians who don't hate me, but sadly I doubt Cyril will be so quick to apologize for his actions. He didn't seem the type. I went back to Cynder's.

The second I entered the house Cynder ran up to me. "Are you alright? What did he want?" Cynder asked me.

"He just wanted to apologize for what happened at the temple." I replied. To be honest, **I** wasn't even completely sure what just happened.

I suddenly felt groggy, "I think it's time you got some sleep, you've had **quite** the day." Cynder said, that was the understatement of the century. Cynder lead me to one of the many pillows sprawled on the floor.

I collapsed onto it almost instantly. After all the hell I went through today, I deserved a good night's rest. I think it's safe to say this was the worst day of my life so far. I lost everyone I ever knew as a human, trudged around a world I remembered nothing about, almost got killed by Terrador, chewed out by Cyril, learned the villain I had destroyed my own body to stop was coming back for round 2, and tomorrow I had to face Cyril **again**. I was **not** looking forward to that.

However it wasn't all bad, I had Cynder and Sparx to help me through it. I honestly couldn't think of a single friend I had back on earth who'd go through that much trouble to help me. I still didn't feel I deserved it, but they seemed to think I was worth the trouble.

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

I opened my eyes to see I was in my own room, my **human** room, was that all a dream?

No, that little theory died quickly when I saw I was still very purple and very Spyro. Confused as to how I got here I looked around until I noticed something a bit out of place.

It was blink and you miss it, but I happened a glance at my figurine collection. Little statues I got with special edition versions of games I got. However, instead of the usual assortment of video game characters that **should** have been there, they were all of my dragon realm friends. Cynder, Sparx, Ignitus, Terrador, Volteer, even Cyril.

Okay that's bizarre, and kinda creepy. But I had bigger problems right now, like figuring out how I got back to earth.

"You like it?" I heard a voice say from behind me, I quickly spun around to see a familiar looking dragon, I recognized him as the dark purple dragon from my dreams, and the yellow eyes from the last one I had. This was the first time I got a real good look at this dragon.

He was about as big as the guardians, his face was a mess of horns jutting out in different directions, his wings were tattered and worn, his demeanor confident and sinister, his two piercing yellow eyes fixed onto me like a predator sizing up it's pray.

The dragon walked up to me, how the hell he fit into my room was a mystery and a half but my life had stopped making sense the second I traded skin for scales so it was a moot point. "I personally find it unfair how quickly they took this all from you, you had a life here after all, friends, family, a future to aspire to. All gone in the blink of an eye. Tell me Spyro, do you think that's fair?" The dragon asked me.

I paused and thought about it for a moment. You know it really wasn't fair, I didn't even get a say in it! Ignitus just plucked me out of my world, put me in this body, and sent me on my way. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my parents. "Dragons can be so cruel, they never once considered your feelings did they Jason? Not once did they entertain the notion that you had any attachment to that world. They ripped you away and expected you to forget it all. But you and I both know that's an impossible task." The dragon said, playing around with my Batman statue.

I couldn't disagree with him, it was BS how they went about this. I had a life here, I had dreams, aspirations, a future to look forward to. And all of it was just taken from me without so much as a simple apology. "Where are you going with this?" I asked him.

The dragon grew a wicked smile, his many razor sharp fangs showing his insidious intent. "I'm not the bad guy Jason, those foolish dragons may think I am, but I know my cause is just. My intentions noble. The dragon realms are diseased, they need to be purified. It is the true destiny of the purple dragon to bring a new age in flames. To cleanse this world of the filth that pollutes it. My defeat at your hands was no more than delaying the inevitable. Which is why I have a proposal for you." He said. Wait... was this Malefor?

I don't know what scared me more, the fact he was talking to me through my dreams. Or that he was making sense. "I have limitless power in both element and magic, I can give you back everything the Ancestors took away from you, allow you to return to being Jason Allen and forget this whole thing. Fighting me is hopeless Jason, you of all people should know this, I'm simply offering you a chance to live in peace." Malefor said.

His offer was enticing, this was the first time I really had a choice as to whether or not I wanted to be Spyro or Jason. I could just end it all now, go back to who I was and forget this whole Spyro thing. To finally live in peace, go back to being nobody. It seemed like an obvious choice to make.

However I caught a glimpse at the Cynder statue again, I walked over to it and clutched it in my claws, what would she think of me if I just left? If I just ran away from my problems instead of facing them head on?

I wanted to go back to being Jason Allen, but I couldn't bring myself to do it, I couldn't betray Cynder, not again. All my friends in the dragon realms were so happy to have me back, well except for Cyril, it was wrong to turn my back on them for such selfish reasons. "No, I won't do it." I said.

Malefor was floored, he was so banking on my taking him up on his offer. However his shock quickly melted into hatred. "So even when I offer you a chance to live in peace, you still spurn it. And for what? Her?" He said pointing to the Cynder statue in my claws. "She who served as my puppet for so many years? Do you know how easily I could take her, all of them from you?" He hissed at me as he closed in on me. I noticed my room begin to catch fire around us, the flames rising with Malefor's anger.

However Malefor kept his eyes locked on me, I could feel his hate irradiating off on him. "I'm not going to kill you Jason, not yet, just for this, I will kill all of your little friends one by one, Sparx, The Guardians, Hunter, even your precious Cynder. And when you are all alone, broken, begging me for the sweet release of death, only then will I grant your wish. You can't protect them boy, not from me." Malefor snarled.

I was horrified, he was going to kill my friends, all of them, and there wasn't a thing I could do to stop him. I felt helpless, small, and afraid.

"**Spyro? SPYRO!"**

* * *

I woke up screaming, tears soaking my face, I saw that Cynder and Sparx were standing around me. I clutched my face in my paws as I sobbed. "Spyro? Buddy you okay?" Sparx asked me, legitimately concerned.

I looked up at them. "I saw him...Malefor." I said, still horrified by what Malefor said he was going to do.

Cynder and Sparx looked at each other then back to me. "And?" She asked.

"He's going to kill you, all of you, and I can't stop him! Oh god I can't stop him!" I said breaking down, I know I should consider it was just a dream, but I knew better than that, he was contacting me somehow, I could feel it.

Cynder sat down next to me. "Yes you can Spyro, you just need to regain your memories." Cynder said trying to calm me down.

Sparx however, had a very different reaction. "Whoa whoa whoa! Timeout! He's gonna kill **me**?! Why me?! What did I do?! I'm too pretty to die!" Sparx said, panicking.

"Shut up Sparx!" Cynder hissed at the panicking dragonfly. Sparx stopped, noticing how upset I was. "Spyro it's going to be okay, he's just trying to intimidate you. We stopped him once, we can stop him again." Cynder said, making me realize something I hadn't thought of.

How **was** I going to stop him? Last time I had to sacrifice myself to stop him, and I **wasn't** going to do that again. But right now I was more concerned with protecting my friends. Cynder seemed confident I could protect them, but I sincerely doubted I could, I couldn't even defend myself against the school football team, let alone a dragon as powerful as Malefor.

But I had to try, not doing anything to help them was far worse than failing to help them. If only I could just get my memory back somehow, I doubt Malefor would wait for me to do that before offing my friends. He wasn't stupid I could tell.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the front door cloth moving, we all turned to see Hunter had entered the house. "Hunter, what are you doing here?" Cynder asked.

"I wanted to check in on how Spyro was doing, judging by his expression it can't be good." Hunter explained, what gave you that idea? The tears? Or my panicked expression?

"Malefor manipulated his dreams, he told Spyro he was going to kill all of us." Cynder explained, Hunter kinda jumped at that, knowing he had to be one of Malefor's targets.

He then looked at me. "Spyro, you mustn't worry about us, Malefor will say anything to crush your spirits. He fears you, because he knows you're the only one who can stop him." Hunter said.

I get they wanted to help, but how could I **not** worry about them? It was my fault he was targeting them, I pissed him off by not taking his offer and now he had them in his cross hairs. I was wondering if it would have been better if I took him up on his offer. At least then they wouldn't suffer. I doubted Malefor was looking to make their deaths quick and painless, no he was going to make it hurt, I knew he would.

Cynder nuzzled me, "It's going to be okay Spyro, we'll be fine." Cynder said reassuringly. I had my doubts, but I trusted Cynder, I just needed to trust myself...

* * *

**A/N- Well ain't that a kick in the teeth? Can Spyro protect his friends from a vengeful Malefor? Stay tuned!**


	7. A Moment of Clarity

**Chapter 6: A Moment Of Clarity**

After a while of regaining my composure we all agreed to head down to the dragon temple and inform the guardians of what Malefor was planning. I felt a bit more confident going to the temple now that I knew Terrador was on better terms with me. However Cyril was still a concern. I just hoped the situation being as dire as it was would at least make him more willing to work with me.

And there was the problem of me not remembering anything about combat. Ignitus had told me I could use all four dragon elements. A shame I don't remember how to use a single one. Kinda a problem if I'm going to have to fight Malefor, and I am. If I couldn't bring out the memories of how to use them at least the guardians could re-teach them to me.

We entered the temple, all the while I couldn't help but worry Malefor would crash through the ceiling and attack everyone. I guess that was the worst part, I had no clue **when** he would strike, just that he would. I was scared I wouldn't be ready when he did attack and I'd be helpless to stop him from killing everyone. Wow my life sucks right now.

We finally found the guardians, who were thankfully all in the same place. Gathered around in a circle, the instantly noticed us come in, Cyril giving me a dirty look. "Hello young ones, may I ask what brings you here?" Volteer asked.

Cynder stepped forward. "We have a major problem, Malefor is back, and Spyro says he invaded his dream telling him he plans on killing all of us." Cynder explained. You know, when said out loud, it kinda sounded dumb. How the hell does one manipulate someone's dreams anyway? On second thought, I don't think I want to know...

The guardians all looked at each other, panic clear on their faces. They then all looked to me. "Is this true?" Terrador asked me. I nodded, I wasn't exactly feeling up to talking, too worried about what was happening to form words. Terrador sighed, realizing how much more dire our situation had become. "I should have known we hadn't seen the last of that retched dragon." Terrador said to himself.

Cyril meanwhile was remaining bizarrely quiet. I could tell his feelings towards me hadn't changed since our last encounter as he refused to make eye contact with me. But I didn't have time to worry about that right now, not with an evil doom dragon about to kick the door down and start laying waste to everyone. "What do we do Terrador? Spyro has no memory, which means I highly doubt he can utilize his breath elements, and without those, I fear his chances against him are quite miniscule." Volteer asked.

Terrador paused in thought, I could practically hear the gears turning in his head as he tried to come up with some kind of game plan. "Then we re-teach him. We don't have time to wait for his memories to return. Since I sincerely doubt Malefor will wait for that. No he knows Spyro has no memory, and will use it as an advantage." Terrador stated.

Sounded good to me, I'd rather go through dragon training than have no defense against Malefor if and when he attacked. "Do we have time for that though? It could take days, months for him to fully master the elements!" Volteer said.

"We have no other option Volteer! Maybe a little training will trigger something? Either way I'd rather have him able to use basic breath power than have him completely helpless when Malefor makes his move!" Terrador snapped causing Volteer to back down.

Terrador then turned his attention to me. "We'll start with earth first. Come with me." Terrador ordered me, so like a good little dragon I followed him down the halls to begin my training. I was still quite uneasy, I couldn't help but be a bit paranoid. But I had to keep my head if I was going to stop Malefor. "Spyro, you need to stop panicking, it's not doing you any favors." Terrador commented suddenly.

I turned towards him. "It's that obvious huh?" I asked as we entered our training area, it wasn't much to look at really, just a big round empty room. I expected there to at least be some kind of heavy bag or something.

"I understand this is a very stressful situation Spyro, but panic can get you killed in battle. You let your opponent get inside your head, you've already lost the battle before it even began." Terrador explained, yeah that was easier said than done. He said he was going to MURDER all of my friends! And mewhaha over their corpses before finally offing me. How could I **not** panic over that?

But he was right, if I was going to win, I needed to keep my head, in more ways than one. But before any of that, I needed to be able to use my breath elements. Otherwise I'd get annihilated before I could even say "oh crap!".

Terrador walked over to the far corner. "Before you can utilize earth, you first need to learn how breath magic works. We dragons utilize a powerful inner magic known as "mana" to use our breath powers. This energy is not unlimited however, so you must use it wisely. We dragons can utilize the magic from crystals known as "spirit gems" to replenish this energy and even heal our wounds. You'll know them when you see them, it is instinct after all." Terrador explained. Oh that's nice, it has a limit on it. Because why wouldn't it? Well I guess it made sense, people can't run forever without getting tired either, I guess this breath magic thing worked off the same principle.

"To activate your breath, you have to do it consciously, you have to will it to come, otherwise we dragons couldn't speak or breath without firing them off. Search within yourself Spyro, and it will come to you." Terrador stated. Of course it had to be **that** ridiculously obtuse didn't it? But I don't exactly have any right to complain here, so I have to suck it up and deal with it.

I closed my eyes and began to focus, why I went this route was unknown, I guess it's just one of those things you just **know**. After a little time I felt something slightly familiar well up within me, a familiar energy emanating from my chest. I suddenly began having flashes of the times I used my earth breath, which was allot actually. I opened my mouth and then...

_**CRACK!**_

I chanced a look to see there was a rather large boulder imbedded into the wall. "D...did I do that?" I asked, was it really that easy? Just puff and surprise! There's a two ton boulder heading your way? Seemed kinda anticlimactic really.

"Indeed you did young dragon, most impressive." Terrador confirmed. Well it wasn't much, but at least I had something to use against Malefor. It may be a small victory, but it was a victory, one of the few one's I've had since I had returned to the dragon realms. I'll be honest, I felt really good right now.

Oddly I instantly remembered how to use my earth breath, I guess that's what that flashback I had did. I tested this by doing various different earth attacks, each one went off perfectly, I guess Terrador was right when he said training would trigger something. Terrador himself seemed surprised by my mastery of the element. I wasn't gonna lie, I felt pretty badass right now. "I take it you regained your memory of the earth element?" Terrador asked.

"Yeah, just before I shot that rock I had a flashback to all the times I used my earth attacks." I explained. Terrador seemed pleased by this information. And so was I, if all of the elements came to me this easy I'd have them all down in nothing flat!

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

I stood outside the walls of Warfang for the first time since my humiliating defeat at the hands of that bothersome purple dragon and my former pet. I knew I had gotten to Spyro with that dream manipulation, the look on his face had said it all. He may have the body of a dragon but he was still very much human. Cowardly and weak, it was almost as if he and the dragon I faced in the core were two completely different entities.

Spyro's concern for his loved ones was his greatest Achilles Heel. Even when he **had** his memories it was a great weakness of his. In his more fragile state of mind it could just be enough to break him, I probably only had to kill one before he started weeping like a hatchling.

No doubt they'd be in the dragon temple, telling the guardians of my plans. Now was the perfect time to strike, Spyro was helpless without his breath elements, the only ones who stood a chance against me were Cynder and the guardians, however I only need to kill one, just one and Spyro would be broken beyond repair. If things got too hectic I could easily kill the dragonfly and make my leave.

I took flight, the dragon temple my prime target, I cared not if the inhabitants saw me, they could do nothing to stop me, and I wanted my presence to be known, the fear I'd induce would make it all the easier for me to cleanse this world once my revenge was completed.

* * *

_**Back at the temple...**_

* * *

After a little more practice with my earth breath Terrador had me practicing my melee combat. It was difficult to throw attacks as a quadruped, but I got the hang of it several dummies later, yeah the dummies being able to walk on their own never stopped being weird. Did anything make sense in this world? Or was it all crazy?

"Very good Spyro, that's enough for now." Terrador said, the remaining dummies instantly dropped lifelessly to the floor. I felt a lot more confident now that I knew how to fight. Granted I still needed to learn fire, ice, and electricity, but having one element at my disposal was better than none. "I've noticed your confidence has grown a bit since we began Spyro." Terrador pointed out.

I walked over to him. "Yeah, I feel a lot better now that I can at least fight again." I answered him, I couldn't wait to re-master the other elements, because who wouldn't want to have complete control over the elements?

"That's good to hear Spyro, you're starting to seem more like your old self now." Terrador commented. However our congratulations were short lived, we suddenly heard a loud crash and a scream. Me and Terrador wasted no time in going off to see what it was that just happened.

We arrived on the scene to see Cyril come flying by, crashing into the far wall with an unsettling thud. My heart sank, please tell me this isn't what I think it is! Sadly it was what I thought it was, as an all too familiar dragon stepped into view, Volteer clutched by the neck in his claws and being dragged along the floor, it was Malefor himself.

Terrador instantly stood between me and Malefor "You're not welcome in this temple Malefor! Leave now or I will kill you myself!" Terrador threatened.

Malefor laughed, "Is that so earth guardian? Then by all means, go ahead and try." Malefor said with sickening confidence. Terrador wasted no words on the corrupt purple dragon, lunging at him like a lion on a kill. Malefor let Volteer go and locked up with Terrador like a pro wrestler. The two jocking for position.

I rushed over to Volteer to see if he was okay. "Don't worry... about me Spyro, I'm okay." Volteer said weakly. I then hear a loud yell.

I looked to see Malefor had Terrador's front right leg in his jaw, Terrador wincing as he tried in vain to free his trapped appendage. Malefor seemed to be amused by Terrador's struggle. That sick bastard! He was enjoying this!

Without a second thought I rushed in. Charging horns first in an attempt to stab him with my horns. However Malefor saw me coming and swatted me away with his tail. I tumbled across the stone floor until I hit a wall.

"GYAAAAHT!"

I shot up instantly when I heard that scream, and what I saw... it made my heart sink.

Malefor had snapped Terrador's leg in half, breaking it like a toothpick. I could see the bone poking out from his green scales and red blood. I looked in horror as Terrador fell to the floor, crying out in what must have been horrible agony. Malefor just laughed, amused by Terrador's cries of pain as he put his paw on Terrador's bad leg and applied pressure.

No way! I wasn't going to watch him do this! I wasn't going to let him do this to my friends! No decent person would! I don't care how outmatched I was right now, he needed to be stopped! "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I screamed as I shot rock after rock at Malefor.

He didn't see the first one coming as it hit him flush, but he just swatted away the other ones. I had to at least lead him away from Terrador so someone could get him to safety, he wasn't useful to any of us with his leg busted like that. "You want me Malefor?! I'm right here!" I challenged him. My concern for Terrador overriding my fear of dying.

Malefor however stayed where he was. "My haven't we grown confident. But I did say I would save you for last Spyro, and I intend to live up to that promise. Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do, you're trying to lead me away from Terrador so I won't kill him. Honestly boy I'm not stupid." Malefor mused.

I rushed him, and pounced onto him clawing at him furiously. But my efforts were in vain as Malefor just plucked me off and tossed me aside like an old toy. But I was quick to my feet, unwilling to let him hurt my friends any more than he already had. I felt the same sensation I felt when I had lashed out at Cynder yesterday. That insatiable anger and rage, I wanted Malefor dead! And I wanted him dead right now! No way this monster lives! No WAY!

However that sick bastard was laughing at my fury, my rage. Like one would a little kid trying to act tough. "Well isn't this interesting, you still have my influence inside you after all these years. Tell me Spyro, do you hate me? Do you want me to die?" He asked me. Not giving a crap that I was trying to kill him.

Does he even need to ask? "YES! I DO!" I hissed, I could feel my hatred consuming me, nothing mattered to me right now outside of painting the temple walls with this bastard's blood!

However instead of being afraid, he was delighted! "You want it all to stop don't you? For your worthless friends to be safe. And the only way you can do that is if I'm dead. Come then, kill me, I won't stop you. Spill my blood, do it for your dear friends." Malefor said, he just sat there, waiting for me to kill him.

This guy must really not like living, of course I was going to! Everything would be better once he was dead! He caused all of this! If it wasn't for him I would have never left the dragon realms, I would have never have had to go through the pain of losing my human life! And my friends would be safe! It would be a crime **not** to take his life!

But when I came up to him, claw raised high for the finishing blow, I couldn't do it. I wanted to, I really did. To make him pay for what he did to us all. The pain and torment he put us through, I was well within my rights to put an end to his worthless existence. But I just couldn't do it. My paw refused to come down.

Malefor grew a wicked smile, he knew I couldn't do it. He was banking on it. "And this is why you are doomed to fail Spyro, you are weak, even after all I've done to you and your friends, you still can't bring yourself to take my life. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, you couldn't kill me even if you wanted to. But I want you to understand one thing..." Malefor said before bringing his face right up to mine. "You can never win. I am eternal, and sooner or later, I **will** kill everyone you've ever cared about, it is inevitable." He whispered in my ear before he suddenly took flight. "I think I've made my point for now, see you again soon Spyro." Malefor said before leaving.

Whatever confidence I had gained from learning earth had been crushed by Malefor. I threw everything I had at him and he took it all like a champ. My scales had returned to their usual purple, and I just sat there, feeling powerless. I noticed a rock fall from the pile of rubble that was blocking one of the doorways. Suddenly Hunter and Cynder managed to escape through it, so that's were they were!

Cynder instantly rushed over to me. "Spyro is everyone alright? Where's Malefor?!" She asked me, frantically searching for the evil dragon.

I couldn't look her in the face, "Why didn't I kill him? I... I had him right there, why did I hesitate?" I said to myself, completely ignoring Cynder's question.

Sparx suddenly came right into my view startling the crap out of me. "Uhh hello? Earth to Spyro! I believe the evil she-dragon asked you a question?" Sparx said.

Suddenly I remembered something. "TERRADOR!" I exclaimed before running off in his direction. I could hear Cynder call out for me to wait up but I wasn't going to. I had to know if he was alright! I finally found him, Volteer and Cyril were huddled around him, Volteer trying to pop his leg back into place. I heard Cynder gasp when she saw what had become of the earth guardian. I walked up to Volteer. "Is he gonna be okay?" I asked.

Terrador turned his head in my direction. "I'm fine Spyro! It's nothing, just a little dislocation." He grunted, uhh, bullsh**! Your bone was poking out of your arm dude!

Volteer seemed to share my sentiments as his face had a rather annoyed expression on it. "This is most certainly **not** a "little dislocation"! You're leg is broken in two! You may not be able to walk on it properly again! I know you're not one to admit when you're hurt Terrador but this is absurd, illogical-" Volteer said before being cut off by Cyril. "We get it Volteer." Cyril said dryly.

Volteer and Cyril helped Terrador to his feet, his broken leg tucked in similarly to a dog. I watched them leave, hoping he'd be okay.

"Spyro? Are you okay?" Cynder asked me, I turned towards her. "Yeah, I'm okay, just a little worried about Terrador is all." I replied.

Hunter suddenly stepped in. "He'll be fine Spyro, I'm sure he's hurt worse in his time. Just be thankful we're all still alive. This could have ended a lot worse than it did." Hunter explained.

Suddenly Sparx came buzzing in. "Uh guys... I think you should see this." Sparx said, we all looked at one another before following Sparx out of the temple. What we found was not something I was expecting.

There was a sea of people in a panicked frenzy. Several civilians grabbing everything their arms could carry, families funneling into their homes, others running and screaming through the snow covered streets. It was pure chaos. "What's going on?!" I asked.

"They must have seen Malefor attack the temple, no doubt they're panicked about another war breaking out." Hunter replied, well ask a stupid question...

Someone had to put an end to this chaos before someone got killed! I thought about it for a moment, and I decided it might as well be me, however when I tried to go out there, Cynder immediately stood in my path. "What are you doing?" She asked me.

However I stood firm, I knew what I was doing. "Someone has to calm them down Cynder, might as well be me." I said sternly. Cynder glared at me for a moment, but finally relented and let me through.

I walked out onto the temple steps. Making sure everyone could see me. The citizens suddenly stopped when they saw me, dropping everything they were doing and staring in disbelief at the dragon they all once thought was dead.

"I don't know what's going on here, but I do know panicking isn't going to help anyone! I know Malefor has returned, but not for long! I promise you all I will stop him! I won't let another war ravage this world again." I said, wondering to myself where the hell I got this courage from. Maybe coming face to face with Malefor had hardened me a bit, or it at least helped me find that courage I once had.

Everyone was silent at first. Unsure of what to make of my presence but then suddenly they cheered, revitalized with new hope, I had another flashback, to a speech Ignitus had given me around the time I had first begun my journey.

"_You are a purple dragon... a very special creature. You've given me hope again. Now it's time to give hope to all of them."_

I repeated the words in my head, trying to find their meaning, however soon I found them. I was hit with a moment of realization, after all that had just happened, everything was clear.

Now I finally understood, I knew now that I **was** needed here, with sick maniacs like Malefor running around, someone had to be there to stop them. After seeing what Malefor did to Terrador, and seeing these people go from panicked riot to cheering me on, I understood now whatever life I had on earth was over, this world needed the legendary purple dragon to step in, to be there to protect them. To give them hope where there was none before. I wasn't Jason Allen anymore, I never would be again. I was Spyro the purple dragon of legend. And you know what? I felt pretty good about that now...

* * *

**A/N- Corny ending for the chapter? Perhaps, but I needed to get Spyro to a place where he could accept that he was who he was, however this story is far from over, for Spyro still has many memories to regain, and Malefor does kinda need to be stopped before someone gets hurt...again.**


	8. Some Scars Never Heal

**Chapter 7: Some Scars Never Heal**

* * *

It amazed me how unwilling Terrador was to admit how bad his leg was, Volteer and Cyril tried their best to get Terrador to rest, but Terrador insisted he was fine and that getting me ready for Malefor was far more important. Man was he stubborn.

All the while I had been training myself in the dragon dojo. I had started once I was sure Terrador would be alright. I wanted to be at my very best next time I faced Malefor, this also made me realize how hilariously out of shape I was, being a geek and all I never really worked out that much as a human, I never really had much reason to since I was one of those people who was eternally skinny. But now I had a reason, a **big** reason. There was no doubt in my mind Malefor would attack again, and next time I wanted to be ready for him.

I was getting exhausted though, my body wanted nothing more than to stop moving but I didn't have time. "Uhh... Spyro... don't you think you've done enough for today?" Sparx asked me, probably noticing how heavy my breathing was getting.

I stopped for a moment. "You saw how easily Malefor beat me Sparx! I want to make sure I'm at my best when he attacks again! Not to mention I still can't use fire, ice, or electricity yet." I said before going right back to shadow boxing, clawing, whatever.

However Sparx was not one to be ignored. "You're gonna pass out if you keep this up!" Sparx protested. Man was he persistent.

"Sparx is right Spyro, you shouldn't over exert yourself. You may be the purple dragon but that doesn't mean you're invincible." Cynder chimed in, I didn't even know she was in the room! I figured they wouldn't stop nagging me until I stopped so I relented and did so.

I walked over to Cynder. "Any news on Terrador?" I asked her.

"No changes really, he's still insisting that it's nothing. Only Terrador could wave off having his leg broken in two." Cynder replied. Man you could lop Terrador's legs off and he'd still insist it was just a flesh wound. I couldn't help but play that black knight scene from Monty Python and the holey grail in my mind, but with Terrador in place of the black knight. I am such a geek.

"As long as he'll recover I'm fine." I said, I know it was just a broken leg and I shouldn't worry, but Terrador was a friend, and it was kinda my fault he got hurt in the first place since I was the idiot that pissed Malefor off when I rejected his proposal. Granted, it was a moot point since Malefor would have slaughtered everyone regardless but still...

Me and Cynder walked out of the dojo together, Sparx following closely behind, "You need to stop worrying about him, Terrador's a tough dragon, he'll be fine." Cynder said, man I wasn't very good at hiding my worries was I? I swear everyone can read me like a book.

"It is kinda my fault." I pointed out, to which Cynder tilted her head. That's when I remembered I had left out an important detail about that dream that Malefor broke into. It wasn't that I was trying to hide it or anything, I just felt that the "kill all my friends" part was a tad more important.

So I guess I should explain. "Malefor had made me an offer in that dream he invaded last night." I told her.

She froze, "What kind of offer?" She asked me.

"Before he said he was going to kill you guys, he offered me a chance to go back to earth, to go back to being Jason Allen." I confessed to her, Cynder just stared at me, I couldn't tell if she was pissed at me, or just listening. She was so hard to read sometimes.

"And what did you say?" She asked sternly, I could just tell her I said no, because I did, but it was only fair to be completely honest with her.

"At first, I was seriously considering it, let's face it, I didn't exactly get a warm welcome back. But, the more I thought about it, the more wrong it seemed, to just, leave you guys to Malefor's mercy, abandon you guys again because I was too selfish to accept who I really was, I couldn't do it, not in good conscience. So I rejected the offer. He was furious that I said no, and that's when he threatened to kill all of you guys." I explained.

Cynder paused for a moment, the fact that I even considered the offer made me look pretty bad in retrospect, but who could blame me? I had been ripped from one life and put into another. But I knew I made the right choice when I said no, I only regretted that it put my friends at risk. But I don't know if Cynder would see it that way. "Spyro, I don't blame you for missing your life in the human world, but you made the right choice, don't ever let anyone tell you different. Malefor would have killed us anyway, trust me I know, at least this way you're here to do something about it." Cynder said. She was right of course, Malefor definitely seemed like the kind of jerk who'd off my friends anyway just cause he can. And I wouldn't have been able to do anything about it if I had gone back to earth.

"I know it must have been a hard decision for you, it may not have been your real life, but I can tell the people in it still meant a lot to you." She added.

"It was, but... I just wish that you guys didn't have to suffer for it." I replied before Cynder shushed me. "Like I said before, we'll be fine. Once you regain your memories and elemental powers we can take him down again, together." Cynder said.

I smiled, knowing Cynder had my back took a bit of the pressure off of my inevitable next encounter with Malefor. Honestly she had my back since I found her, and I really appreciated that, so I should have expected her to be willing to face down Malefor with me. "You know, I don't think I want to go back anymore." I confessed, catching Cynder completely off guard. "When I saw that crowd earlier, their reaction to seeing me, the hope I gave them, I realized that my place is here. I miss the people I left behind on earth, but that life is over, and I'd rather be here now, where I'm needed. And were my friends are." I elaborated.

Cynder smiled. Proud that I had finally accepted who I was. "You've come along way from the dragon that found me in the cemetery. You're acting more and more like the Spyro I once knew, and I'm happy to have you back." She said before we nuzzled each other.

"Aw come on! I think I'm gonna barf!" Sparx chimed in, ruining the moment, again.

"Terrador I told you to stay in the infirmary and rest!" I heard Volteer yell in the distance, smashing what little remained of the moment into dust. Me and Cynder walked down to where the commotion was coming from to see Volteer trying to usher Terrador back into the infirmary. "I told you Volteer I'm FINE! It's just one leg!" Terrador objected.

However Volteer was having none of it, as he continued to try to force the Earth Guardian back into the infirmary. "You are in no condition to be gallivanting about! You need to rest, you lost a lot of blood back there and you need to give your leg time to heal!" Volteer insisted, Suddenly Cyril came onto the scene and instantly went to help Volteer with Terrador.

"I'll be fine after a few spirit gems! I don't need you two babying me!" Terrador protested, amazingly being able to keep both guardians from moving him.

"Don't be so stubborn Terrador! You're bloody leg is broken and it isn't going to heal if you keep walking on it!" Cyril said.

"This isn't being stubborn, this is being difficult." Terrador said with a smirk. Me and Cynder couldn't help but laugh at this situation. It was like something out of a sitcom. All it was missing was a laugh track.

I could see how frustrated Cyril was getting, it didn't take much to set him off did it? I was just glad his anger was directed at someone other than me this time. "You are GOING to rest and you will LIKE IT!" Cyril grunted as he tried in vain to move Terrador.

I turned to Cynder. "Are they always like this?" I asked her. She took a minute to stop laughing before answering my question. "Sadly yes." Cynder answered.

I suddenly had another flashback, of the guardians, mostly Cyril and Volteer, bickering with each other, however it was never really hostile, it was more like how good friends would bicker sometimes. The flashbacks ended and I saw that Cyril and Volteer had somehow managed to get Terrador back into the infirmary. "Another flashback?" Cynder asked me.

"Yeah, of all the times Cyril and Volteer used to bicker with each other. Which seemed to be quite a lot actually." I replied, it wasn't exactly a useful memory, but hey it was something.

However I think Cyril may have overheard me. "Well if Volteer didn't babble on and on about stupid things all the time maybe we wouldn't bicker so much!" He said bitterly.

"Oh like you're never at fault! What with you're endless boasting about your "royal blood" and what not!" Volteer said defensively. Oh boy, what have I done? However they both seemed to back off quite quickly, I guess they both figured it wasn't worth arguing about. "I'm going to go get Terrador some spirit gems. Cynder would you care to assist me?" Volteer asked Cynder, she nodded and they were both off.

Unfortunately, they had just left me alone with Cyril, who still very much disliked me for leaving them. Or maybe he didn't, after all the madness that happened earlier maybe he'd forgotten? "You know I still don't forgive you for abandoning us." Cyril said, yeah that was kinda wishful thinking wasn't it?

But I had to at least try to make amends with Cyril, "I don't know what you want me to say. You're well within your rights to hate me for leaving you guys. But right now, I just want to keep everyone alive." I said to him truthfully, I did still believe that I at least deserved a little flack for disappearing for three years.

Cyril sighed. "I don't hate you Spyro, I just hate what you put us through. I know you didn't mean to do it, but that doesn't change the fact that you did." Cyril explained. "We guardians, we're like brothers, we've all known each other since we were young and have looked out for one another just as long, the days directly after your "death", it was hard to bear, seeing Terrador and Volteer like that. I may fight with Volteer a lot, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him." Cyril added.

I got what he was saying, whether I meant to or not I still hurt everyone. But what could I do? I can't undo what happened, not unless purple dragons double as timelords. I was basically just trying to break even at this point. "You could say I have mixed feelings about you returning, on one hand I'm glad to see you alive and well, but on the other you still hurt a lot of people by disappearing." Cyril said.

It was weird seeing Cyril like this, he was so calm, so reserved. I could tell how strongly he felt about this. I doubted he'd ever forgive me for what happened, but I'd just be happy if we could be at least on good terms. "I know, and I know I could probably never make up for that, but I can at least try." I said, I didn't know how much that was worth to him. But it was the best I could do.

Cyril stayed silent for a moment, thinking about something but I didn't know what. It was pretty uncomfortable how quiet he had gotten, however he then looked down at me. "It's always frustrated me how I could never stay mad at you." Cyril said with a hint of annoyance. I had a feeling this was the best I was going to be able to do with Cyril. "I'm willing to look past it for now, however know this, if this happens again, I won't be so forgiving!" Cyril warned me.

He didn't have to worry about that, I had no plans on dying again. Not after the hell I went through lately. I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll find a way to defeat Malefor without getting myself killed. I hope.

Volteer and Cynder finally came back with enough red gems to make Scrooge McDuck faint. Well at least I knew what took them so long now. The two dumped the gems in the infirmary, Cynder coming over to me when she was done. Cyril went into the infirmary with Volteer leaving us alone.

"I'm sorry I left you alone with Cyril, he wasn't too hard on you was he?" Cynder said suddenly.

"No he wasn't actually, in fact I think I might have patched things up between us... I think." I replied. Cynder seemed relieved by this, glad Cyril hadn't used my head for soccer practice or something.

"Well I'm glad you got Cyril to be more civil with you, I was worried I was gonna walk in to him turning your face into mush." Cynder said jokingly.

* * *

Things were starting to improve with Spyro a lot lately, he was beginning to act more like his old self now, and he had managed to get Cyril to be civil with him. I couldn't help but be proud of him. However I was beginning to wonder if I should tell him something I had said to him before he disappeared.

I had been debating with myself over it since I ran into him at the graveyard, I wanted to wait until he had regained all of his memories before telling him, but that time was coming a lot quicker than I had anticipated.

I didn't know what he'd think, or if it would ruin our friendship. He seemed to trust me, and I'd hate to make things... weird between us, not to mention what Sparx would think about it, I know he still doesn't like me after all. "Cynder? You okay?" Spyro asked me, catching me off guard "You're kinda zoning out." He added.

I fumbled for a response. "Yeah, I'm okay, I was just thinking to myself." I told him, he seemed skeptical, but he backed off. Suddenly Volteer and Cyril came out of the infirmary. I took this opportunity to change the subject. "So, how'd it go? He give you two trouble?" I asked.

"No he was actually quite cooperative for once." Cyril answered. Well that was good, I guess Terrador was finally giving in and letting us help him. Hopefully we could keep him off his feet so his leg could heal properly.

Spyro meanwhile was still wondering what was up with me, I could tell by the look on his face. I hoped to the ancestors that he wouldn't ask me any more about it. I wasn't ready to tell him yet. And I didn't want to take his focus off Malefor anyway.

Volteer seemed to notice the awkwardness around us. "Is everything alright with you two?" He asked us.

"Yeah everything's fine Volteer." I hastily replied before Spyro could say anything. Which he didn't seem to appreciate very much. However I didn't want to make things any more awkward than they already were. "O...kaaay..." Volteer said with uncertainty. "It's getting late, you two should probably go home now and get some rest, you've had quite the day today I'm sure" Volteer added, I hadn't even noticed that it had gotten dark out until now, but I guess time flies when you're recovering from an attack from the Dark Master.

So I lead Spyro out of the temple to take us back home. I kept my pace hoping to avoid Spyro asking questions about what had just happened back there. Not an easy task when trudging through snow.

* * *

Cynder was acting really weird right now. She was hiding something, I could tell, she wasn't very good at it really. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I knew she'd deny it. So I asked someone else. "Hey Sparx, is it just me, or is Cynder acting kinda weird right now?" I whispered to Sparx.

"You mean more than usual?" Sparx replied, he just couldn't help himself sometimes could he? "You know what I mean!" I hissed at him. "You try asking her?" Sparx replied. "She won't answer me, I know she won't. I admit girls are kinda a mystery to me, but I can tell when someone's trying to hide something and isn't going to tell you what it is." I responded to him.

We finally arrived at Cynder's. I debated bringing her behavior up, but realized it would probably just make things uncomfortable more than anything else. If she was going to tell me she'd do it when she's ready.

"Hey what's up with you anyway?" Sparx chimed in. Dammit Sparx! You had ONE job! I should have known better than to bring this to his attention, and now I was gonna pay for it.

I saw Cynder flinch when Sparx spoke up. "I... I don't know what you're talking about!" Cynder stammered. Predictably, Sparx wasn't convinced. "Lady, you've been acting weird since you got back from getting those gems for Terrador, what's going on?" Sparx demanded.

I had to stop this! He was gonna get us kicked out or something, and I had no intentions on sleeping in the snow! "Sparx back off, she'll tell us when she's ready." I said hoping to get my brother to back off. Cynder seemed to be relived I said this. I couldn't lie, I wanted to know what she was hiding, but I could tell how uncomfortable she was.

"Killjoy." Sparx huffed before crossing his arms. I shook my head and walked over to my sleeping pillow.

I knew if I didn't explain things to Sparx he'd never stop nagging me about it, thankfully Spyro had decided to pass out on the sleeping pillow so I could talk to him privately. "So... you gonna tell me what's going on with you or what?" Sparx asked me.

"If I tell you, you have to promise me you won't tell Spyro." I told him, Sparx rolled his eyes, "I kinda... confessed my love to him before he disappeared three years ago, and I don't know if I should tell him." I confessed. Sparx's jaw dropped at this, absolutely floored by this news.

I saw him try to fly over to Spyro, I caught him between my paws before he could. "OW! Hey come on! Lemme go!" Sparx protested as he tried to wiggle his way free.

I brought him over to my face, "You tell him, and I'll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life, you got me?" I warned him. Sparx gulped, terrified of what I could do to him, and nodded. "Good." I said simply before letting him go.

I wasn't ready to let Spyro know about my feelings yet. And I wasn't going to have that idiot dragonfly ruin everything for me. He'd keep quiet now though, Sparx was never known for his bravery, and he knew better than to mess with me.

* * *

**A/N- Well isn't this awkward? What will become of our heroes? Will Cynder confess her love for Spyro? Or will Malefor turn them into smears on the floor before then? Stay tuned!**


	9. Taking Flight

**Chapter 8: Taking Flight**

* * *

I woke up to a rather loud thud sound, I opened my eyes to suddenly come face to face with a dead deer. "SH**!" I cursed as I scurried away from the dead animal. I then heard laughter, I looked to see Cynder emerge from behind the carcass, still laughing at my reaction.

She finally managed to get herself to stop after a while. "Relax, it's just breakfast Spyro, geeze." Cynder said, no that's a dead deer.

Wait a sec... oh no... you mean we dragons eat... oh man... I think I'm gonna be sick...

You know, I haven't actually eaten since I had become a dragon again, funny I hadn't really been hungry, maybe dragons could go longer without food than humans, I don't know. But this didn't change the fact that Cynder expected me to eat this thing. Where did she even find it?

I was **no** vegetarian by any means, I enjoyed my meat as much as the next guy, but I'm kinda used to my meat being... prepared. Cynder seemed to be annoyed by my reaction to the deer carcass. "Don't give me that look Spyro, you need to eat and keep your strength up if we're going to beat Malefor." Cynder lectured me. Easy for you to say, you hadn't spent seventeen human years having your meats prepared for you.

But I was going to have to eat it, she wasn't gonna let me not. And it seemed dragons liked their meat raw as she made no attempts to cook it or anything. "Yes **Mom**."I said teasingly. She just rolled her eyes.

I took a good long look at what I was about to shove down my gullet, I could see the wound Cynder must have made to kill it on it's neck, it's blood having dried and stained it's pelt. Mmm, appetizing stuff. "Spyro you okay? You look like you're gonna hurl." Sparx chimed in.

"Well, back when I was human, our meats were kinda, well, prepared." I said sheepishly, realizing how prissy this must have sounded to Cynder and Sparx. "Well we dragons do it differently." Cynder said before digging in herself.

Well, I can't starve myself, so I might as well dig in too. I closed my eyes and slowly took a bite. The wet blood instantly squirting out of the area I bit.

It actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, I don't know if I should be scared by that or not. I guess my tastes had changed since becoming a dragon again. Although the idea of eating raw meat was going to take a bit of getting used to. "See? You were just being a big baby over nothing." Cynder teased. I rolled my eyes, she's never been a human before so she didn't get how jarring this was for me.

After we ate Cynder said she wanted to take me out around the town, in hopes seeing the city would trigger more memories. I was fine with that, I hadn't gotten the chance to really see the city for myself anyway. And the more memories I could unlock from the back of my brain the better. So we headed out on the town.

It was weird how... normal the city was, I mean outside of the anthropomorphic animals and dragons. Everyone just went about their day like usual, you wouldn't think the Dark Master himself was about to waste the entire world, but I assume they think I have this handled and there was nothing to worry about, man would it be awkward if I messed it up.

However I began to notice something off, everyone was giving Cynder dirty looks for some reason. Granted me and Cynder had rarely walked through town since I came back and even then we didn't stay out too long since we had been heading places. "Cynder, why is everyone looking at you like that?" I asked her.

I saw her get a little depressed when I asked this, "They haven't forgiven me for what I did when I was the Terror of the Skies." Cynder explained.

But wait... she helped me save the world didn't she? Why was everyone still pissed at her for something that wasn't even her fault? That's not fair! "But you helped me save everyone. Doesn't that count for something?" I asked her, baffled by this little factoid.

Cynder shook her head. "They don't think I helped you, they believe you did it all by yourself, and with you dead and all, no one had any reason to believe me when I said I helped you with Malefor." Cynder explained to me. Well that's lame, I guess the citizens of Warfang were good at holding grudges.

I had very little memories of what exactly it was Cynder did as the "Terror of the Skies", but it must have been pretty bad if these people weren't willing to let it go SIX years later! Suddenly Cynder was hit by what I think was a tomato. The juices splattering all over her jet black scales. I saw a group of teenage moles laughing at what they had done. "When are you gonna get it Terror of the Skies?! No one wants you around!" One of them said.

Okay I was pissed now, Cynder saw how angry I was getting. "Don't worry about it Spyro I'm fine." Cynder said, no way, I'm not letting these little jerks pick on my friend! "HEY! How's about you throw one of those at me huh tough guy? See what happens!" I challenged the hoodlums. The moles looked at one another, before the tallest one stepped forward.

He looked me right in the eyes, but I didn't back down, someone had to stick up for her, who knows how long she'd been putting up with this crap? But I was putting an end to it. "She's not worth defending, you know what she did? She killed thousands of innocent people, slaughtered families, how can you justify that huh?" The mole asked me.

"Because I know what really happened, I'm going to warn you one last time, leave her alone or I'll make you." I threatened. We stared each other down for a moment, but then he must have decided it wasn't worth it and left with his friends.

Cynder had finished wiping the tomato juice from her face. "You didn't have to do that Spyro. I have a thick hide, I can take it." Cynder said to me.

I shook my head. "Someone has to stand up for you. You shouldn't let people treat you like that, Terror of the Skies or not. I may not remember much of it, but I do know you're not that dragon anymore. You're my friend Cynder, and friends don't let people treat their friends like that." I said to her.

Cynder smiled, "I just don't want you picking fights for my sake." Cynder said before we continued our walk through the city. Thankfully without someone else lobbing vegetables at Cynder.

Suddenly Cynder stopped. "Spyro, do you remember how to fly?" She suddenly asked me.

I looked at my wings, I can't believe I never thought to ask about this, I had wings, why the hell would I **not **want to use them? I guess I had too much on my mind to bring it up. I looked back at Cynder. "No, not really." I answered.

"Come with me then, I know a good spot we can practice." Cynder said before leading me out of the city, this was gonna end with me in a snowbank wasn't it?

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

Cynder lead me to some kind of cliff face outside of Warfang. I took a good long look down, it was a two story drop at least. "Uhh... Cynder, you sure about this? This seems like quite the drop if I mess up." I asked.

Cynder walked up next to me. "You'll be fine Spyro. It's how I learned." Cynder explained. You know, I wasn't shocked Malefor was the kind of jerk that would toss young dragons off of cliffs so they would learn to fly. But this is nuts!

Sparx flew into view. "Don't sweat it big guy, you can do it. Or you won't and you'll become a bloody heap on those sharp rocks below." Sparx said.

I shot him a glare. "You're not helping Sparx!" I said through gritted teeth causing Sparx to back off.

I chanced another look down the cliff, I was so going to die wasn't I? The great purple dragon of legend undone not by Malefor, but because he hurled himself off a cliff like an idiot.

Cynder spread her wings out, I did the same, She got a running start before going right over the ledge, she then took flight, it was an amazing sight to be honest, seeing her flying so easily, effortlessly moving through the air with such grace. Somehow I doubted my flight would be as impressive.

I backed up to get a running start. "Well, here goes nothings." I gulped, I started my run, wings spread wide, soon I ran out of land and was airborne. But it didn't last, I began plummeting, me uselessly flapping my wings in a desperate attempt to stop my descent.

I could see those sharp rocks Sparx mentioned rushing to make my acquaintance. Me screaming the whole way down. Suddenly now of all times I had another flashback, of when I first took flight, Ignitus talking me through the steps, the flash stopped and I noticed something.

I wasn't hurdling towards the rocks anymore, I looked behind me expecting to see Cynder holding my tail with a disappointed look only to see no one was there, In fact what I did see was my wings flapping almost automatically. I was flying! I was ecstatic, I think every human has dreamed of flying at least once, and now I was living that dream...

I flew around, doing loops and barrel rolls in the air, I felt so free, weightless. It was pure ecstasy. I could see everything from up here, Warfang, the forest, it was a breathtaking sight. "See? I knew you'd get it." Cynder said flying next to me.

While I kinda wished she'd have done it under less, dangerous conditions, I think the pure rush of actually flying made up for that. I had never felt so free in my life. "This is incredible!" I exclaimed. It was amazing to me how something so simple as flying for the first time could just make all the stress I had just fade away, if only for a moment at least, I was free.

We chose to fly around the city, seeing the sights from up above. The city was beautiful from where I was. This is what Superman must feel like flying over Metropolis. I could also see the Dragon Temple was by far the biggest building in the city. It made sense I guess since the guardians seemed to be the big wigs around these parts. "I think we should go check in on the guardians, you still need to re-learn ice and electricity anyway." Cynder called from behind me. I couldn't disagree there.

However now I had a new problem, I had no idea how to land. I was gonna have to wing it, no pun intended. I tried to position myself to land on my feet when I came down, hoping my feet would kill my momentum.

I was wrong, horribly wrong. The second my feet touched the ground I instantly fell forward, tumbling head over heels across the temple floor until suddenly someone caught me.

I looked up to see it was Volteer. "That was quite an entrance young dragon." Volteer commented. I got to my feet, now a bit sore from my crash landing.

Cynder came in flying after me, her landing far more graceful than mine, but that wasn't hard all things considered. "Is he okay?" Cynder asked Volteer.

Volteer looked me over, checking for any injuries I may have given myself before responding. "Outside of a few bruises he's perfectly fine." Volteer replied. Cynder seemed relieved by this.

I looked up at Volteer. "Any news on Terrador's leg?" I asked him.

"He's doing much better now, although we're still having trouble keeping him from walking. Terrador's never been one to admit when he has an injury." Volteer said, well at least he was recovering. Hopefully his leg would be fully healed soon. "So, what brings you two here today?" Volteer asked as we walked down the halls of the temple.

"We were hoping to help Spyro regain his ability to use the other elements." Cynder explained to the electric guardian.

Volteer nodded. "I should have figured that. I guess I should teach Spyro first, I doubt Cyril is up to it right now, I'm sure you can guess why." Volteer responded. Volteer lead me off into the dragon dojo to teach me electricity, somehow I got the feeling this would end the same way I wound up learning earth, hopefully without the Malefor attacking directly after part.

* * *

Spyro went off to re-learn electricity with Volteer, leaving me alone in the temple since Sparx followed him in. I just hope he remembered to keep my secret, because I might just have to hurt him if he doesn't.

I then heard the sounds of claws scraping against the floor, I turned to see it was Terrador, his broken leg tucked as he moved. "Shouldn't you be resting?" I asked him.

Terrador scowled at me. "I don't need to be babied Cynder. I am a warrior, and warriors don't need pampering." Terrador said proudly causing me to roll my eyes. His leg was never going to heal properly was it? "Where's Spyro? He's usually with you." Terrador then asked.

I motioned towards the dragon dojo. "Learning electricity with Volteer." I explained. Terrador seemed pleased by this. "Very good, the sooner he re-learns his abilities the sooner we can put an end to Malefor." Terrador said.

That's when it dawned on me, what was going to happen when he fought Malefor? Would Spyro have to sacrifice himself again? I hope not, I can't go through that, not again. I doubted Spyro wanted to make me go through that again either.

"Cynder? Is something bothering you?" Terrador asked me, pulling me from my thoughts. "I'm just worried, what if Spyro has to... you know..?" I replied.

Terrador shook his head. "It won't come to that Cynder. Trust me, Spyro will find a way, you just need to have faith." Terrador reassured me. I hoped to the ancestors he was right. For all our sakes.

"I ran into trouble in town again, a mole threw a tomato at me." I said, trying to change the subject.

Terrador sighed. "You'd think they'd let your past go after six years." Terrador said. "It didn't escelate beyond that did it?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, Spyro stepped in, got them to back off." I replied, Terrador seemed surprised by this. I don't know why, I would have figured Spyro doing that would have been expected.

"He didn't attack them did he?" Terrador asked me, why would he ask this? "No... why?" I asked, unsure where he was going with this. "When Malefor attacked us, Spyro acted oddly, his scales had turned dark and he became more feral. I noticed it happened when he saw Malefor break my leg." Terrador elaborated.

I forgot, Terrador didn't know about Spyro's dark side. We never exactly got the chance to tell him. "It's something that has been happening to him since the eternal night, when he's under emotional distress, he shifts into a darker version of himself." I explained to him.

"I don't want him shifting into that form again, it was... terrifying seeing him that way. I don't want him to end up killing someone because of how they treat you." Terrador said, I couldn't disagree, I didn't like seeing Spyro like that either, however I don't know if I **can** keep him from shifting into that form, he seemed very enraged when those moles were heckling me. Who knows how much worse it would have gotten if they hadn't backed off.

I looked at Terrador "I don't want to see that happen either, but I don't know if I **can **keep it from happening, I've actually set it off once." I admitted to him.

Spyro and Volteer came back after that, Spyro looking rather pleased with himself, and Volteer kinda annoyed when he saw Terrador out here. "Terrador for ancestors sake! Do I have to tie you down by your tail to get you to rest?" Volteer exclaimed causing Terrador to roll his eyes.

Spyro came up to me. "So, I take it you mastered electricity?" I asked him. Spyro seemed so excited so I think I knew what the answer was. "Yeah! At this rate we'll be able to take out Malefor in no time!" Spyro said excitedly.

All the while Spyro was talking I kept thinking about what Terrador had said, what if Spyro does lash out at someone? What if... no I don't want to think about that! "Cynder? You okay? Don't tell me you're getting all weird on me again." Spyro said ripping me from my thoughts.

I nodded. "I'm okay Spyro." I told him, he didn't seem convinced but he backed off. I know I shouldn't worry about this, I trusted Spyro, but I didn't trust that... other side of him. He has a hard time controlling it, especially with his memory loss. But what could I do? I would just have to keep an eye on him... for everyone's sake.

* * *

**A/N- I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter, I kinda had a small run in with writer's block. But as you can see I got over it. Hopefully I won't take so long with the rest of the story.**

**Update-7/4/14: Fixing more dumb typos I should have seen earlier, happy Fourth of July BTW! ('Murica!)**


	10. The Flames of War

**Chapter 9: Flames of War**

* * *

_**Somewhere Deep In the Forest...**_

* * *

A lot of complications had arisen since my defeat at the hands of that infernal Spyro, I had no mountain to claim as my dominion, and it would take far to long to construct one. No destroyer to carry out the great cleansing, all I had was the grublins, since I could create them in seconds with my dark magic. No doubt Spyro was regaining more and more of his memories by the second, creating a ticking clock on my advantage over him.

I wanted my revenge, I wanted it more than all else right now. The fact that little runt and my former pet defeated me was humiliating. The great Dark Master undone by mere children! They had to pay for that indignity.

I had an army of grublins ready to go, the winter weather complicated things a bit, raising grublins from the earth when it's covered in snow and ice was troubling, but I managed it. I would not be denied my vengeance by mere weather. I was to send the grublins into Warfang by dusk, with orders to kill anyone they saw.

I knew of Spyro's attachment to my former general Cynder, it was made obvious by the statue he chose to examine before denying my offer in that dream I crafted for him. Killing her would break him, I knew it would, which is why she was a primary target. Besides, she had a hand in my humiliation, it served her right for betraying me to die by the hands of my grublin armies.

There would be no where left to hide for any of them, my armies will burn that city to the ground, and little Spyro will have no one left but his inevitable death by my hand.

* * *

_**Warfang...**_

* * *

Me and Cynder walked back to her place, now I had two elements at my disposal, but she looked worried about something, it was different than yesterday, she seemed more scared than embarrassed. "Cynder, somethings bothering you, you know you can tell me right?" I asked her.

Cynder stopped, and turned to me with a solemn expression upon her face. "Spyro, do you remember when I told you to get over your life in the human world and you shifted into that... other you?" Cynder asked me. How could I forget? I almost killed her back there!

But why was she bringing this up? "Yeah..." I said hoping to find out where she was going with this. "I know you just want to protect me, and that you think people shouldn't hold me accountable for what I did in the past, but I'm scared someone's going to take it that extra step too far and make you shift into that other you." Cynder explained.

I just stood there, why would she think I'd do that? Yeah they were being jerks but that didn't mean I was gonna kill them over it. "Spyro please, promise me you won't turn into that other you again." Cynder said.

I didn't think I could, it's not like I could control it, it just sort of happened. "I... I don't think I can, I can't control it Cynder you know I can't." I replied.

She didn't like that answer, "Spyro! Please I don't want to see you like that again, promise me!" She demanded, what did she want from me?! I can't control my dark side! She knows that! If she didn't she wouldn't be worried about this because I wouldn't shift into it!

I looked away, "Cynder I'm sorry, but if I could control it, this wouldn't be an issue. I can try but I can't guarantee it." I said hoping it would be good enough to put her mind at ease.

Cynder seemed to be skeptical, but I think she understood what I meant. "I'm sorry Spyro, I know you've had a lot to deal with these past few days, I just don't want you to end up getting hurt or imprisoned because of me. I'd never forgive myself if you went off the deep end on my account." Cynder said sadly.

I nuzzled her. "I'll do my best Cynder, that's the best I can promise you. I've hurt you enough, I don't want to add to it." I told her.

Suddenly Sparx had decided to make himself known. "Get a room guys geeze! It's unsettling how "cuddly" you two have been getting lately." Sparx commented. I just shook my head, he really needed to let whatever grudge he had against Cynder go. It was starting to get grating.

Suddenly I heard an explosion of all things, me and Cynder looked in the direction of the noise to see a huge gaping hole in the walls surrounding the city. "Wh...what's happening?" I asked Cynder. She said nothing and took flight. Something was happening, something bad.

I flew after her, and now I could see it, there was a huge fire around the area where the hole had been made, and through this hole creatures made of earth and plants were funneling through in a mob. "What are those things?!" I asked Sparx, I recognized them from somewhere but I couldn't place it.

I heard Sparx make a whiny groan. "Grublins, I guess I should have known Malefor would make more, because he's a jerk like that." Sparx replied. Grublins? Was that even a word? Then again neither is Malefor, or Spyro, or 90% of the other names I've ran into in this world. Whatever these things were they were attacking the city, which meant I had to kick their asses.

I swooped in, shooting a lighting bolt down at them knocking one on it's ass as the others scattered. I dive-bombed after another one tackling it to the ground and taking it out with a well placed paw to the face. Two more rushed me, they only got rocks to the face for their troubles. However these things just kept coming! It was pure madness!

I soon found myself trapped in a mosh pit of grublins, I did my best to keep them at bay but they were overwhelming me like zombies on a kill. I was way in over my head, they dog piled me, punching and kicking me repeatedly. Suddenly one of them found itself frozen solid, fell right off the pile, and shattering into pieces upon hitting the floor. Suddenly a blue arm swatted the others off allowing me to see who had come to my rescue, and I didn't quite expect this.

It was Cyril, of all guardians to save my purple butt it was the one who disliked me the most. There's an irony in there somewhere I'm sure. I managed to get the remaining grublins off with Cyril's help. "What is going on here?!" Cyril asked me fighting off more of them.

"I don't know, me and Cynder were just talking and then there was some kind of explosion, and well, you can figure out the rest." I said fighting off my own mob of grublins.

I could tell how annoyed Cyril was getting having to fight these things."I should have known Malefor would have sent these accursed things after us again at some point! Where's Cynder?" Cyril asked me.

Crap! I had completely forgotten about her! "I... I don't know, when the explosion went off the flew away before I could ask her what was happening, I haven't seen her since." I explained to him as I took out a mob of grublins with a rock shot, knocking them all down like bowling pins.

Cyril then looked to me. "Go find her! I can handle these things!" Cyril ordered me. Uhh... how about I **don't** leave you to the mercy of a swarm of monsters? I mean, you're big and all, but there's thousands of these things! "No way! I'm not leaving you to the mercy of these things!" I objected

But Cyril was having none of it. "I can handle these things, no grublin can best the mighty ice guardian Cyril! Now go! Before I make you!" He demanded. Figuring it was useless to try to change his mind I did as he said, hoping he was right and could indeed take these things on his own.

I searched the city frantically for Cynder, scanning street after street for the black dragoness. "CYNDER?! CYNDER!" I called out as I flew through the now panicked city. My panic rising with every second I couldn't locate the former terror of the skies.

Sparx to his credit was also beginning to worry about her. "M...maybe she went to inform the other guardians?" He suggested, I wanted to believe that, after all Cyril found me. But deep down I knew that was wishful thinking, I had a gut feeling she was in trouble. Besides why would Cyril have asked me where she was if she had gotten them herself? Wouldn't he already have known where she was?

Suddenly I felt something tackle me in mid air, it was some kind of winged grublin thing. It had me wrapped up in it's wings and was gnawing on the back of my neck. I moved my head back, headbutting it and causing it to let me go. Yeah protip, never headbutt rock monsters, it's not fun. My head was throbbing from the impact but I had to shake it off if I didn't want this thing to kill me.

Good thing I did too because I just merely dodged getting sliced by it's wing. I shot a lighting bolt at it knocking it out of the air and sending it spiraling down to the earth. "YEAH! How'd you like that rock face?!" I boasted, reveling in my victory. It felt good to actually **win **a fight for once.

However someone had to ruin it. "Uhh Spyro, I hate to interrupt your victory dance, but that thing's buddies aren't as happy for you." Sparx pointed out, I turned to see several more winged grublins flying in my direction. I shot lightening at them, knocking one out of the sky but the others were gaining fast, too fast to get out another attack without risking them knocking me out of the sky.

So I turned and flew away, occasionally craning my head back and shooting rocks at them. Man they just kept coming! How many of these things did Malefor make?! Does he get them in bulk? Is there a website or something? I was beginning to sincerely question my chances here. I may be the purple dragon, but I was still a small teenage dragon against and army of rock demons.

However suddenly some kind of goo or something knocked one of the grublins out of the air sending in spiraling down like a shot down fighter jet into a building. I turned my head to see it was Cynder. Oh thank god I found her and that's she's okay. Well okay **she** found **me** but still. She was okay at least.

We both landed, taking out the last flying grublin with our respective breath attacks. "Cynder where have you been?! I was so worried!" I said, relived to see she wasn't hurt or dead or whatever.

"Spyro calm down, I'm okay, I've fought these things before, in fact I should have been worried about you." Cynder said in between laughs. Well good to see **you** find this funny.

However soon enough we were surrounded by grublins again. "Looks like we're gonna have to table this conversation for later." I said getting ready to fight. Cynder nodded and did the same.

Fighting with Cynder felt so natural, how we both complimented each other, her speed and my magic power seemed to balance one another perfectly. Not to mention it felt familiar, I had periodic flashes of me and her fighting together during the latter stages of the war. With each one I noticed my fighting skills improving slightly. Which helped a lot in this situation.

Soon enough we dispatched the last one. Cynder looked to me. "Not bad for a dragon with memory loss." She complimented me.

I nodded. "You're not too shabby yourself." I returned the compliment. However suddenly Cynder's eyes went wide. "SPYRO LOOK OUT!" She cried before pushing me aside.

**SHUNK!**

I felt blood splatter on my back, my heart stopped, I slowly turned my head to see that a grublin had tried to sneak attack me with an icicle, and Cynder had been stabbed by it, right in the side. I looked in horror as the grublin pulled the icicle out of her, the frozen object caked in blood.

"CYNDER!" I cried as I saw her body limply fall to the ground. No... god no! Not her! Please no! She can't be dead! She just can't! Even Sparx was horrified as to what had just transpired, too shocked for words.

I turned to her attacker, enraged that he had the gaul to stab my friend! I wanted him DEAD! I felt the anger rise as I moved in on the grublin, slowly and menacingly. I knew I was shifting into my dark form, but I didn't care at this point, I wanted him to pay for what he just did to Cynder.

I shot out an element I wasn't familiar with, a purple energy of some kind. If froze the grublin in stone, which I shattered into pieces with no hesitation. I noticed more grublins were closing in, good, I needed to vent some anger.

I cut down each one with ease, too angry to care about anything else. I slew them down to one. I saw it cower in fear as I drew in closer and closer. I had no intentions on showing this thing mercy, I inhaled and engulfed it in flames, this being the first time I had ever used fire. I'd have been excited I had just learned fire but I was too enraged at what had happened to care.

After they were gone, I felt myself shift back into my old self. My anger quickly melted into panic as I rushed to the side of my fallen friend, praying she was alive. I noticed a pool of blood forming from where she was. "Cynder! Cynder please don't leave me!" I pleaded as I turned her on her back. She laid motionless, I feared the worst, the one dragon to help me through all of this, becoming a dragon once more, regaining my lost friends, everything, was dying in my arms. It wasn't right! Why her? That grublin was aiming for me, if only I had payed attention...

I noticed everyone in the town gathered around. These people they didn't care, I knew they didn't, hell they were probably happy she was dead, perfect penance for the sins she committed as the Terror of The Skies. I couldn't even stomach looking at them. "Don't pretend like you people care! You never even gave her a chance! You couldn't let it go could you?! Despite the fact she helped me save you people you still couldn't let it go could you?! I hope your happy now..." I chastised them before I felt a claw on my shoulder, it was Volteer, "Spyro that's enough!" Volteer said sternly. I could see the other guardians were there with him. Even Terrador despite the fact he was supposed to be resting.

"She's losing a lot of blood Spyro, we need to get her medical attention before she bleeds out." Terrador said. I didn't know how to respond, I didn't even know if she was still alive at this point.

Suddenly I felt movement in my arms, I looked down to see Cynder looking up at me weakly. "S..Spyro listen to them... I'll be okay.." She said weakly. I couldn't stop tears from welling up in my eyes, I didn't want to lose her! I couldn't lose her! I stepped aside and let Volteer scoop her up and carry her on his back.

I chanced another look at the villagers, they all had guilty expressions upon their faces. I shot them a dirty look before following the guardians to the temple. Sparx flew up next to me. "You gonna be alright buddy?" Sparx asked me, being bizarrely comforting. I couldn't even respond, being to occupied with guilt and sadness to even say so much as an "uh-huh". "She's gonna be okay Spyro, she's tough, trust me I know." Sparx said to me, in hopes of lifting my spirits.

But all the while I kept asking myself how I could let this happen. She did nothing but look after me since I returned, she was someone I could always turn to when I needed help. But now she was barely hanging onto life. All because I was too stupid to pay attention to my surroundings.

Thankfully the last of the grublins had already been dealt with, but I couldn't get myself to revel in even that. Not with Cynder in critical condition. And with me to blame for it. I looked up at the night sky, the stars seemed to shine brightly upon us as we moved towards the temple. All I could do was pray to the ancestors to spare Cynder's life, she didn't deserve to die, not because of me.

I suddenly had another flashback, of the moments before I sacrificed myself to save everyone. Cynder pleading me to turn and run. But that would have been pointless since the world was breaking apart so I shot that down real quick and went to reconstruct the world.

However, I jumped at what she said next.

"_I love you..."_

Three simple words, but yet they made little sense to me. She... loved me? Suddenly everything she had been doing for me made more sense. Her reaction to my return, her willingness to protect me, everything was put into a new perspective.

And suddenly I realized, I loved her too, in all my years as a human I had fantasized of what my dream girl would be like. But I never thought she'd be a dragon, but there it is. However this meant little now, now that she was barely clinging to life, what a tragic irony that I would learn of Cynder's true feelings on what could very well be her deathbed.

All I knew now was that Malefor was going to pay for this either way, first Terrador, and now Cynder, it stops here, no more of my friends get hurt! Even if I have to do it myself I don't care. I'm ending this one way or another.

* * *

**A/N- Will Cynder recover? Or will fate deal Spyro yet another cruel blow? Well you're gonna have to wait for the next chapter to find out! *Trollface***


	11. The Promise

**Chapter 10: The Promise**

* * *

I looked at her as she laid upon the bed. A bandage fastened around her wounded side, her face peaceful and motionless. Volteer and the other guardians had done their best to patch her up, but Volteer said we wouldn't know for sure if she'd survive until if and when she recovers.

All the while I couldn't help but blame myself, how could I let this happen? She trusted me, and I failed her. "I'm so sorry Cynder..." I said softly.

Sparx flew up next to me. "Come on buddy, it's not your fault some dumb grublin hurt Cynder. If it wasn't for her it would be you in that bed." Sparx said, he'd been trying to comfort me this whole time, and while I appreciated that he cared enough to do so, I knew better than to think this wasn't my fault. That grublin was aiming for me, if I had just payed attention neither of us would have gotten hurt.

I left the infirmary, I had decided a while ago I was going after Malefor alone, I was done letting my friends get killed. If anyone was going to die by Malefor's claw it was me. "Whoa whoa! Where do you think you're going hot shot?" Sparx asked flying right into my path.

I gave him a stern look. "I'm going after Malefor! This has to stop Sparx! I can't keep having the people I care about getting hurt by Malefor and his cronies! I can't go on worrying if the guardians, or you get hurt or worse. I'm ending this now!" I said sternly before going to leave again.

However all this did was make Sparx even more determined to stop me. "WHOA! Hold on there death wish! You barely beat Malefor last time, and that was **with** Cynder's help! You're out of your purple little mind if you think you can take him on your own!" Sparx protested, I figured I'd get this reaction, and I knew he was probably right, but I couldn't let this go on!

The sooner Malefor wasn't a factor anymore the sooner everyone would be safe, and if I had to die for that to happen then so be it. "Get out of my way Sparx." I growled, however he refused to budge, you know, I could easily go through him, he was only an inch tall, but I wanted him to understand that I **had** to do this.

Suddenly Volteer came into view, I knew **he** wouldn't approve, and unlike Sparx he **could** physically stop me, so I made a break for it. "Spyro! Sparx what is going on?!" I heard Volteer shout. "Stop him! He's trying to go after Malefor on his own!" Sparx replied.

I quickened my pace but somehow Volteer was on me in seconds, he tackled me to the ground and pinned me to the floor. "Spyro you cannot go out there on your own! It's suicide!" Volteer said.

I tried to break free but Volteer's size advantage made this a nearly impossible task. "LET ME GO! Every second I let that monster live gives him another chance to hurt one of you! I'm putting an end to it!" I objected.

However it was clear Volteer had no intentions on letting me go. "Not on your life! The only thing that will end by you going there is your own life! Spyro please think rationally about this! I know you're distraught over what happened to Cynder, but don't think for a second I'll let you throw your life away so recklessly!" Volteer shouted.

I heard more claws scrapping against the stone floors, the other guardians had happened upon us. "What is going on here?!" Terrador boomed.

Sparx flew up to the others. "Spyro's gone nuts! He's trying to go after Malefor by himself!" Sparx said to the elder dragons. The two looked down at me with shocked expressions.

Terrador quickly trapped me under a rock fixture. "NO! LET ME GO!" LET ME GO DAMN YOU!" I cried as I tried in vain to squirm free.

The guardians however were clearly unwilling to comply with my request. "Spyro stop it! You're not ready to face Malefor yet. I know you're upset about what happened to Cynder, we all are, however that is no excuse to throw out all logic and reason!" Terrador scolded me.

I gave up, they would sooner lop their arms off than let me go after Malefor on my own, I sobbed quietly to myself, defeated, scared of what would become of my friends. I felt so powerless.

I heard a sigh from Terrador. "Spyro, I understand you're afraid for our safety. But we need to think about this rationally, you don't have all of your memories or breath abilities yet, and even when you did have them you had to sacrifice yourself to defeat Malefor. Dying by Malefor's hand will do nothing to make us safer." Terrador explained to me.

I just stared sadly to the floor, I wanted it all to go away, I wanted Malefor gone, my friends safe, and everything to be okay. But the only way any of that could happen is if Malefor was taken out of the picture. I saw the guardians look at each other. "What should we do?" Cyril asked Terrador.

Terrador thought for a moment, looking at me periodically as he did so. "We can't let him go after Malefor yet, he's not ready. For now we keep him in the temple. Hopefully when Cynder wakens she can talk some sense into him." Terrador said before releasing me from my rock prison. "Spyro, we don't enjoy doing this to you, but we have no choice, you are not to leave the temple for any reason. This is for your own good." Terrador said sternly.

So now I was on lock down? All because I wanted to stop the guy I was supposed to stop anyway? Why can't they see that no one is safe with that monster out there?! How many more of us need to get hurt before someone does something about it?!

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

I sulked around the temple, frustrated that I couldn't do anything about Malefor. That the guardians wouldn't let me just put an end to this madness. They had Sparx watching me constantly, I knew if I tried to make another break for the exit he's give me away instantly, so I didn't even bother trying.

Sparx flew into my view. "Would you stop sulking? We're just trying to keep you from getting **killed** okay?" Sparx said to me.

I got that, but the problem was Malefor wasn't going to wait for me to **be** ready to face him, he wasn't stupid, he knew he had an advantage over me and he'd do everything he could to milk that advantage for all it's worth. "I just want to put an end to this before someone else gets hurt or worse." I said.

"I know buddy, but going after Malefor and getting annihilated isn't going to make us any safer." Sparx pointed out. I had to admit, I may have been severely overestimating my chances against Malefor right now. But sooner or later I was going to have to square off with him. Otherwise he'd just keep attacking.

I had to face the facts, I was caught between a rock and a hard place, I didn't stand a chance against Malefor right now, but I couldn't let him run loose out there either. Man this sucks!

I walked down to the dragon dojo, I had a lot of frustration to vent right now, might as well put it to good use. I decided to try practicing with my new found fire abilities, since Ignitus wasn't here to re-teach them to me and all. I started simply with a stream of fire, being careful not to catch Sparx in my flame.

It probably would have helped for me to activate the dummies but I had no clue how the hell those things worked. Besides, several flaming dummies running around the temple would probably result in bad things. "You gonna be okay Spyro?" Sparx asked me.

I looked at him. "Other than my friends being in more and more danger by the second and me not being able to do anything about it I'm just peachy!" I growled. I doubt that was the answer he wanted to hear, but it was how I felt. Could anyone really blame me? This was a very frustrating situation to be in. Some asshole was targeting my loved ones and he was too badass for me to do anything about it!

* * *

I could see how frustrated Spyro really was, despite my determination to keep him from confronting Malefor prematurely, I couldn't fault him for feeling the way he did. Between when Malefor broke my leg and what happened to Cynder, I couldn't blame him for wanting to end Malefor's madness right now.

However I knew if I let him go after him now he wouldn't last a minute against him. All I could do was silently watch him practice his new found fire ability, ancestors know how he unlocked it, but I wasn't going to complain, the sooner he unlocked his elemental abilities the better.

But Cynder's injuries complicated things, I couldn't send Spyro after Malefor alone, even at full strength I could not do that, not in good conscience. But I doubted Cynder would be in any condition to fight even if she recovered. And with my broken leg neither was I. As much as that pained me to admit.

I heard someone approach from behind. I looked to see it was Volteer. "I'm worried about him, you remember how upset he was when you got injured, I fear if another one of us get's hurt it will send him over the edge." Volteer said.

I turned to my fellow guardian. "Then we will have to take extra care that that doesn't happen. Spyro has enough stress to deal with without worrying about us. I just wish he could set it aside and keep his focus." I replied. That was always a problem with Spyro, he had a warrior's will, but he was easily distracted by his concern for others. It wasn't a bad thing he wanted to protect those he cared for, but sometimes he had difficulties keeping his focus on the threat instead of those he was protecting from it.

Volteer paused for a moment, before responding. "He's still just a boy Terrador, it pains me to see him under such distress." Volteer said.

Indeed he was under a lot of pressure, even full grown adult dragons would have difficulty carrying the burdens Spyro does, however this could not be helped. Spyro was the only one who could stand a chance against Malefor, I could only hope when this was over he could finally find the peace he so richly deserves. I pray to the ancestors that he succeeds, and is still with us to reap the rewards of his struggle.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

Pain... that was the only thing on my mind when I woke up. I could still feel the stab wound I got protecting Spyro screaming with agony. Getting up was out of the question as it would only make it hurt more.

I kept wondering to myself how I was still alive, when it happened I thought for sure that was it for me, however it seemed fate had other plans.

I couldn't get the look on Spyro's face when it happened out of my mind, that horrified look, the tears welling up in his purple eyes as he saw me fall to the snowy ground. I didn't doubt he was worried sick over me.

Look at yourself Cynder, you're in the infirmary recovering from a stab wound and here you are worrying about Spyro. I almost laughed at the idea, of how much I cared for the little purple dragon. Perhaps losing him for three whole years had something to do with that. My need to keep from losing him again throwing my own self preservation out the window.

I was beginning to question whether or not I could actually help Spyro with Malefor this time given my condition. I kept telling myself it was just a simple stab wound and it would heal, but how long that would take was what concerned me. I knew Spyro stood little chance against Malefor by himself, and I was willing to stand by him all the way, but I doubt he'd be willing to let me go after what had happened.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sounds of someone entering the room. It was Cyril. "Well, good to see you're awake." He said simply. "Can you stand?" He then asked.

I tried to stand up, but the pain in my side shot that down quick. "No...not really." I winced. Kinda annoyed at my inability to stand on my own feet.

"You gave us quite a scare Cynder, poor Spyro was devastated, he even tried to go after Malefor on his own, but we stopped that quickly." Cyril explained to me. My eyes widened when Cyril mentioned Spyro trying to go after Malefor by himself, I expected him to be upset about what happened, but not to throw out all reason and take the fight to Malefor.

I looked to the ice guardian. "Wh...where is he now?" I asked him.

Cyril took a moment to think before answering. "I think he's in the dragon dojo training right now, if I know him he'll come around here eventually." Cyril explained. I scrambled to get up to talk to him, I couldn't let Spyro go after Malefor by himself! I knew Spyro better than to think he wouldn't try again.

However Cyril was on me in seconds. "Oh no you don't! You need to rest, you lost a lot of blood back there! Don't worry about Spyro we have a close eye on him. He's not going anywhere I assure you." Cyril said before I finally gave up on trying to squirm away.

What was I going to do? If Spyro went after Malefor on his own he'd get killed, and all because of me! I couldn't live with that. It was hard enough for me to live with the things I had done in the past, losing the dragon I love like that would be too much.

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

I finished my practice session, I had a pretty good grip on my fire ability, however Malefor was still hanging heavy on my mind. But at least now if he attacked I'd be more prepared. I also knew that when I went after Malefor, it would be by myself, I don't want anyone in the line of fire. I knew that my friends wouldn't let me, but it was better that way, Malefor was my problem, I should be the one to face him.

I saw Cyril approach me. Oh man what does he want? "Good news Spyro, Cynder has awoken, I think you'd best go see her now, I had to hold her down to keep her from rushing out the door to find you." Cyril explained. I felt relief wash over me, knowing she was alive took a lot of stress off my shoulders.

However why did she want to see me? Maybe she was worried I had worked myself into a massive guilt ridden depression or something, or maybe she wanted to tell me something? I wasted no time in heading for the infirmary, a move Cyril didn't seem to appreciate very much. He wasn't the kind of dragon that liked to be ignored, but he didn't try to stop me.

In time I finally reached the infirmary, and there Cynder laid, she looked at me as I walked in. "Cynder, oh man I am so glad you're okay, I was so worried!" I said but then she interrupted me.

"Spyro, you can't go after Malefor by yourself." She said, she was just so... direct about it. Cyril must have told her about my attempt to take the fight to Malefor. I should have figured she wouldn't approve. "Cynder, I have to, I don't want anyone else to get hurt. I know you want to fight him with me, but I'd much rather you be out of danger. Malefor's my problem." I said to her, hoping she would understand.

However she was quite upset by this. "He's both our problem Spyro! If you expect me to sit here worrying about you while you go fight Malefor you're out of your mind! I'm coming with you whether you want me to or not!" Cynder yelled.

However I had made up my mind about this a while ago. And I wasn't about to change it. "No Cynder, I've made up my mind! I can't risk your life like that! I can't! If you died out there I'd never forgive myself!" I asserted, why couldn't she just understand? I want her to be safe!

However Cynder was just as unwilling to budge. "Spyro, I get why you feel this way I really do, but I'm more than willing to risk my life to help you. You don't stand a chance against Malefor alone, I know that, and deep down you do too. But together, together we can do this. " Cynder said.

I can't belive I have to fight with her over this! "Cynder you're injured! You're in no condition to fight Malefor! And the longer I let him run around the more risk you guys are in!" I said.

However Cynder just waved it off "It's just a little stab wound, it will heal. But losing you, that won't. I'm sorry Spyro but there's no way in hell I'm letting you go after him alone." Cynder said. I could see it in her eyes, she wasn't going to budge. But I couldn't let her go, I couldn't risk her life when I didn't have to.

Cynder looked me right in the eyes, her face so close I could see my face reflecting in her emerald eyes. "Spyro, I get you don't want me to get hurt, but I don't want **you** to get hurt either, I'd take Malefor on myself if I could. But we have to face the facts, Malefor is too powerful for either of us to take on by ourselves. I'm coming with you, and that's final! We started this together, and we're going to finish this together." Cynder said.

I just stood there silent for a moment, I wanted to say she was wrong, I really did, but I couldn't. I kept thinking back to my last encounter with Malefor, and how easily he fought me off. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, she was right, I couldn't take Malefor on by myself, it was suicide, I just wish I didn't have to put her in danger.

I looked at her. "Just promise me you won't die..." I requested, my voice cracking slightly from the tears I was fighting back.

She nodded. "Only if you promise me the same." She replied. We both silently agreed to one another's terms. An agreement that no matter what happened, we would both make it out alive.

A promise I hoped we both could keep...

* * *

**A/N- Dawww, isn't that sweet? Hopefully our heroes can keep their promise to each other and take Malefor down.**

**But of course, Spyro still has one last element to master before he and Cynder can set out to take the fight to Malefor...**


	12. Getting Cold Feet

**Chapter 11: Getting Cold Feet**

* * *

My recovery wasn't as quick as I'd like, after the attack on Warfang me and Spyro were both set on kicking Malefor's door down and taking him down then and there, but the guardians wanted to give me time to heal before then, and insisted Spyro needed to re-learn Ice before we even thought about going after Malefor.

Cyril seemed to be far more civil with Spyro lately, I guess whatever bad blood he had with him had been overridden by the urgency of the situation. He was actually willing to teach Spyro ice now which was all that really mattered right now.

Hunter had arrived at the temple not too long ago, he wanted to see if we were okay after the attack on the village, he was of course concerned about my injury but the fact I was moving and now able to walk put him at ease.

I kept thinking back to me and Spyro's promise, a promise I wasn't sure I could keep. But it was the only way I could convince Spyro to let me go with him. I honestly didn't care what happened to me, yeah I'd rather **not** die. But anything can happen in the battlefield, and I knew how much more important Spyro was than me. He was the Purple Dragon of Legend, and I was just Cynder, the former Terror of the Skies.

Speaking of Spyro, he had mentioned there was something else he wanted to talk to me about, a flashback he had. I had no clue what it could be that he'd need my opinion on it, or why it had to wait until he was done training with Cyril for him to tell me, I had my theories but I'd just have to wait and see.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

"No no no! You're doing it all wrong!" Cyril scolded me for the fifth time in a row. For some reason I was having a hard time with Ice, usually I'd try using the element for a while then I'd have a flashback and instantly remember how to use it, but for some reason that just wasn't happening this time. I didn't know thing one of what the problem could have been, maybe it was my mind trolling me again, maybe it was Cyril's constant nagging, I don't know, but something was keeping me from using ice effectively.

Oh I could use ice, but I didn't have very good control over it. In my attempts I have frozen; My tail, my feet, Sparx, Cyril's tail, and a fly that had the misfortune to fly into my path. Man, Sub-Zero makes it look so easy. I bet this was how his younger years went, well if he actually existed, although given what happened to me I can't seem to find that out of the realm of possibility sadly.

Cyril himself didn't seem to mind lambasting me every time I messed up, especially after I froze his tail. "For ancestors sake Spyro this isn't that hard! You're trying to force it! You need to let it flow." Cyril lectured me. At this point we were both getting frustrated by my inablility to master the element of ice.

I decided to try one more time, I tried to focus on my inner ice, to let it flow through gently this time instead of forcing it.

_**FWSHHH!**_

Crap! I froze my own stupid head! How does that even work?! I staggered around for a bit, the ice surrounding my head making me top heavy, I could see Cyril face palm through the ice cube that engulfed my head. Man this was embarrassing, I can't imagine how goofy I look to everyone else.

I could hear Sparx laughing his tail section off as I tried in vain to stand up straight with this giant ice cube on my head. "We'll try again later... do try to unlock your memory of your ice ability until then..." Cyril said before leaving.

"Wait! What about my head?! Hey! HEEEEY!" I cried as I tried to get his attention, but if he heard me he didn't show it as he was soon gone from sight. "Aw man..." I whined as my head fell to the floor again. Sadly not breaking the ice that surrounded my idiot head.

Sparx flew down to me, still laughing at my misfortune. "Oh man, I'm sorry Spyro but... man if only you could see yourself right now." Sparx said between howls of laughter.

I glared at him through the ice. "Well it's a lot less funny from where I'm standing, how's about you help me out here?!" I said struggling to pick my head up.

Sparx flew around my head. "What do you want me to do? These arms weren't meant for smashing." Sparx pointed out, okay I had to admit, asking the **dragonfly** to get my head out of it's icy prison was a pretty stupid move. But still, he could at least get someone who **could** help me. "Ahk! I think I'm getting brain freeze!" I winced.

Suddenly someone else had entered the room, I couldn't tell who it was through the ice but I could tell by their size and figure it wasn't one of the guardians, or any dragon for that matter, for this figure walked on two legs, the figure started chuckling. "Need some help there Spyro?" The figure asked, it was Hunter, I could tell by the voice. When did he get here?

"K...kinda." I said sheepishly. What **must** Hunter be thinking of the idiot dragon who froze his own head? I saw him take out what looked like a knife and start picking away at the ice until with one good whack the ice shattered into pieces. Good thing too because I think I was beginning to run out of air in that thing.

"I'm not even going to ask how **that** happened." Hunter stated, good, because I don't think **I** even know what happened back there.

I shook the remaining ice off my head. "Thanks, it was getting pretty cold in there." I said as I picked myself off the floor. My face was still pretty cold, so cold it kinda stung a bit actually, man I hope dragons weren't cold blooded. But I think if that were the case I'd be dead by now.

Hunter put his knife back in it's sheath. "You're welcome, I'm sure you wouldn't have liked to have spent any more time in such a... compromising position." Said Hunter, blatantly trying not to laugh.

Sparx flew up to Hunter. "So what brings you here fuzzball?" Sparx asked the cheetah warrior.

"I had heard of the attack on Warfang, I came to check to see if you were all okay. It seems outside of a few injuries you aren't any worse for ware." Hunter explained.

I averted my eyes, I didn't want to even think about that attack, the image of Cynder getting stabbed still made me cringe. "I should have figured Cynder's injury was a sore spot for you, I apologize if I brought up any unwanted memories." Hunter said noticing my discomfort.

"Yeah, he took it pretty hard, so hard he tried to go after Malefor by himself! Thankfully Volteer and I were there to stop him." Sparx chimed in, I saw Hunter's eyes widen when Sparx mentioned this.

Hunter looked me in the eyes, in that "you have done a terrible thing" kind of way. "A good thing indeed, you would have died for sure if you tried to challenge Malefor by yourself." Hunter said sternly. Why does Sparx insist on putting me in these situations? Why can't he ever just shut his noise hole?

I turned away from him. "What did you guys expect me to do?! Every second I waste gives him another chance to kill someone! The only reason I'm not running for him now is because I know I'd never make it out of the temple before someone stopped me and that I promised Cynder we'd do it together." I said bitterly.

"Spyro you're being irrational. I understand wanting to protect those you care for, and you're not wrong in your assumption Malefor can strike any time, but you're not ready yet." Hunter lectured me. I still refused to look at him. I was getting sick of having this conversation, you'd think these people would want me to make them safer sooner, but not in backwards dragon land! "I don't need a lecture." I said coldly.

Suddenly Hunter grabbed me by the chin, forcing me to look at him face to face. "I think you do! I know you have our best interest at heart, and I appreciate that, but you forget that we also want to keep **you** alive too! You're not ready to face him yet. A good warrior knows when to pick his battles Spyro, pick them wisely." Hunter said before releasing my jaw and walking off.

I just stood there and watched him leave, me and Cynder were more than ready to face Malefor, granted I still would rather she not be involved, but I wasn't stupid, I knew my chances were better with her and that talking her out of it was pointless.

Oh crap! I forgot! I had promised Cynder I'd talk to her after I was done with Cyril! I ran off hoping she wasn't pissed I kept her waiting. "Whoa whoa! Where do you think you're going purple wonder?" Sparx said flying into my path.

I groaned. "Relax Sparx, I just remembered I had promised Cynder I'd talk to her after I was done with Cyril." I told him, this was unfortunately something he'd been doing every time it even slightly looked like I was trying to escape the temple. And I can't lie, it was getting annoying.

Sparx flew in closer, intrigued. "About what?" Sparx asked me. Oh god what have I done? I knew he never needed an excuse to start prying. Sparx is one of those people that just **has** to know everything. Keeping secrets with him around was impossible.

I sighed, knowing full well he wouldn't shut up if I didn't just tell him. "I had a flash back when we were bringing Cynder back to the temple." I said to him. "It was from just before I had repaired the realms and well, became Jason I guess." I added.

Sparx seemed puzzled by this. "Yeah and?" He asked, clearly getting impatiant.

"She told me she loved me." I said getting right to the point. Sparx didn't seem nearly as shocked as I expected him to be. "You **knew** didn't you?!" I accused him.

Sparx had instantly become uncomfortable. Yeah he knew, I could tell by the look on his tiny face he knew about this all along. "I'm sorry! She said she'd kill me if I told you! Come on man you know how much Cynder scares me!" Sparx confessed, his manliness dipping into the red along the way.

I sighed, "It's okay Sparx, I understand." I said to him, helping put him back at ease now that he knew I wasn't going to kill him.

Soon I saw Cynder come into view, I looked at Sparx, silently telling him I wanted to be alone. He rolled his eyes and flew off, Cynder then approached me. "Took you long enough, so what's this about?" Cynder asked getting straight to the point.

I instantly got cold feet. How the hell was I going to bring this up? Do I be direct and risk her knocking me out like Mike Tyson? Or do I ease her in? Aw man, I was never good at romance, I didn't know the first thing about girls. Let alone **dragon** girls. "Spyro! Are you going to tell me or are you just going to stare at me like a dead fish?" Cynder said snapping me out of my thoughts.

Well, here goes nothing. "Cynder, I had a flashback, to when I was sacrificing myself in the world's core." I said, my heart pounding with anxiety the whole time.

Cynder grew a skeptical look. "What about it?" She asked, seeming more nervous than suspicious.

Well, no sense in dodging it now. "You said something to me before it happened didn't you?" I asked her, I instantly saw her jump when I said this, it was clear she knew where I was going with this.

Cynder closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Yes, I did." She said before re-opening her eyes.

Moment of truth time Spyro, tread carefully now. "You told me you loved me didn't you?" I asked her. I saw her eyes water, and she nodded. Well there you have it Spyro, she's into you. It was so weird having a girl actually have a crush on me, usually I was the one doing the crushing, and it had always ended with the girl laughing in my face and walking away.

I could tell she was afraid I didn't feel the same way about her, the way she looked at me with those puppy dog eyes. I gave her a smile. "You still feel that way?" I asked her.

She nodded nervously. "I... I wanted to tell you, but I was afraid you didn't feel the same, and since you had no memory, I wanted to wait until you recovered them to ask, y.. you're not mad are you?" Cynder asked me.

I shook my head. "It's okay, in a weird way, I kinda feel the same way." I said to her, I saw her face brighten upon me saying this.

She suddenly locked lips with me. I'm going to say right now that kissing a dragon was weird as hell, but I strangely didn't mind, well I was a dragon too now so it wasn't **that** weird. But I didn't pull away, it was my first real kiss, and being from Cynder didn't hurt any. She'd always been there for me since I got back home, through everything that happened, through the heartache, the homesickness, and the struggle. I think it was fair to say she was the best thing that ever happened to me upon returning home. Spending the rest of my life with her sounded pretty good to me.

She finally pulled away. "A bit forward don't you think?" I said playfully.

She smiled "Sorry, but that was three years coming." She replied with equal playfulness. So, does this mean I have a girlfriend now? I remember back when I thought I was doomed to forever spend the rest of my days alone in my mother's basement whining about the "good old days". However now I had someone to share my life with. I wasn't going to lie, it was bar none the best feeling I'd ever felt.

Suddenly Sparx came in, I should have known better than to think he'd stay out of this for long. "Aw man, Spyro please don't tell me you're **dating** the evil she-dragon now!" Sparx whined.

I laughed a little. "I'm afraid so bro." I said, causing Sparx to whimper while burying his face into his hands. He'd get over it eventually, I'm sure he would. But for now I was the happiest dragon in the realms right now.

"Ahem"

Me and Cynder both jumped, we turned to see Cyril giving us a glare. "And here I thought you two were just friends..." Cyril said dryly. Me and Cynder both gave an embarrassed chuckle. Cyril then looked to me. "If you're done with you and Cynder's little "moment" maybe you'd like to finish you're training?" Cyril asked me.

But it had only been a few minutes! Not even! My face still felt a bit cold from the ice block that I had frozen myself into! No fair! I groaned, knowing arguing with Cyril was like arguing with a brick wall, I'd never get him to budge. "Okay..." I said glumly.

* * *

So Spyro walked off with Cyril, to say I was uplifted by what had just happened would be an insult to anyone who knows words. After all those years of wondering if he shared my feelings, to finally get the answer was relieving. I just hoped we both made it out alive when we faced Malefor so we could spend the rest of our lives together.

I saw Hunter walk in, he noticed my unusually cheery mood, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Cynder, you seem to be in high spirits." He commented.

I looked up at him. "Yeah, you could say that." I said, not really sure if I should tell him about Spyro and me.

Hunter nodded. "Well it's nice to see you happy for once. Although I worry about Spyro." He said solemnly.

I tilted my head. "What do you mean?" I asked.

Hunter sighed. "He's still dead set on going after Malefor before he's ready. I don't want to see him get killed because he jumped in too quickly." Hunter explained, I sighed, knowing full well what he meant.

"We'll be okay Hunter, he may not be ready now but he will be soon, I know he will." I said with confidence.

"For both your sake, I hope your right Cynder." Hunter said before walking off. I knew I was right, I trusted Spyro, and he trusted me. We'd be fine.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

Me and Cyril arrived at the dojo, Cyril sighed as he sat down in the far corner. "Alright Spyro, let's try this again, and do try not to freeze your head again." Cyril said dryly.

I closed my eyes and focused again, at first I ran into the same brick wall I had been running into all day, but then I soon found it easier to focus. Suddenly I had another flashback of using my ice powers. I opened me eyes and saw that I had frozen the floor in front of me. Cyril looked at the floor, shocked that I picked it up so quickly. "Impressive." He stated.

I guess it was my stress that had been keeping me from remembering. My concern over Cynder blocking me from accessing my memories. You know there's an irony in there somewhere I'm sure. But it didn't matter, I could shoot ice now!

Then it dawned on me, I had regained all of my powers, all four elements where at my command now, I was ready now. Ready to take Malefor down once and for all...

And this time, I'm gonna make sure he **doesn't** come back.

* * *

**A/N- Well it seems as though Spyro has unlocked his last elemental power through the power of love! Corny? Perhaps but you can't argue with results.**


	13. Revelations

**Chapter 12: Revelations**

* * *

Cynder's recovery was pretty quick, granted this was mostly thanks to a few Spirit Gems, however she said she was in good enough condition to fight. I meanwhile had mastered all four of my dragon elements, I still had a few missing memories here and there, but I could at least fight now.

The guardians had called a meeting in the main hall. We all gathered around in a circle. "Spyro, you've come a long way from the lost dragon Cynder happened upon in the memorial, you have regained a great deal of your memory, and you have re-learned all four dragon elements. I wish I could give you more time to recover your remaining memories, but the sooner we eliminate Malefor the better." Terrador said.

He was right, I felt a bit more complete now that I had a good chunk of my old memories back. It was weird having two sets of memories buzzing around in my head, but I'm sure I'll get used to it eventually. "Unfortunately we have no idea where he is holding up, so you two will have to do a bit of searching around the realms in order to confront him." Terrador explained. Of course we would have to look for him, because it would be too easy otherwise.

But I was ready now, I wanted nothing more than to end this so we could live in peace again. The guardians all looked at one another, then back at us. "We would love to accompany you, but Terrador's leg still hasn't completely healed yet, and I'm sure Spyro would rather us be out of harms way regardless." Volteer said.

Yeah I would, hell I still wasn't 100% okay with Cynder accompanying me on this little quest. But I knew I couldn't talk her out of it at this point. I was fine with it just being me, her, and Sparx. And the only reason Sparx was coming was because he followed me everywhere, and it wasn't like he'd be doing any fighting anyway. "We wish you three the best of luck, may the ancestors guide you to victory." Terrador finished.

Me and Cynder looked to each other, silently agreeing to set out to begin our search for the Dark Master. We walked out of the temple side by side, ready to take on the world. Cynder looked over to me. "You nervous?" She asked me.

"A little, but when you're about to go into a fight to the death with the Dark Master himself that kinda can't be helped." I replied. I still couldn't believe we were finally going to confront Malefor, after all this build up and training I was finally going to put an end to Malefor's sick little game.

We both spread our wings and took flight. I flew up beside Cynder. "So, where do we start?" I asked her, I doubted the dragon realms were a small place, which meant it was safe to say we had quite a lot of ground to cover.

Cynder thought it over for a moment. "We'll search the surrounding forest first, and work our way up from there." Cynder said, well it was as good a plan as any, not like I could come up with anything better. Hopefully Malefor wouldn't be too hard to find. I mean he was a giant f**k off dark purple dragon of evil after all. Not too many of those running around, at least I hope not.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, at the White Isle...**_

* * *

It would appear that Spyro and Cynder had begun their search for Malefor, part of me couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic seeing Spyro and Cynder flying side by side into battle. It was good to have Spyro back at full strength, I had feared Spyro wouldn't have been able to regain his memories in time. Granted, a few memories remained sealed away in Spyro's subconscious, but those would come at their own pace, at least he now had enough to fight Malefor.

However, something was amiss, I could sense it, but what could it be? I quickly removed Malefor's book from it's place, if anything to put my mind at ease. I tore it open, flipping page after page in hopes of finding his current location. However what I found was most unsettling.

Malefor was headed my way...

But what for? There was no way he could have known I had become the Chronicler! So for what reason did he have for coming here? Perhaps it was to prevent me from assisting Spyro and Cynder, or perhaps he had far more nefarious reasons...

Regardless I needed to prepare myself, I knew not if I could fight Malefor in my current form, I was meant to chronicle the tomes of time, not to do battle. I placed Malefor's book back into it's place and was about to telepathically warn Spyro and Cynder of Malefor's intentions...

But it was too late. "Well well, if it isn't the great Chronicler himself." Malefor said as he entered my library. "Imagine my suprise when I see that the great Chronicler is none other than the foolish fire guardian who perished in the belt of fire. Will the surprises ever cease?" Malefor added.

I turned to him. "You are not welcome within these walls Malefor! Leave now or I will force you to!" I warned him, however he caught my bluff instantly.

He closed the distance between us, so that now we were face to face with one another. "I do wonder what would happen if the Chronicler were to be slain... Surely without the chronicler to watch over the tomes of time, the dragon realms would be set out of balance eventually." Malefor theorized. He was right of course, without a Chronicler to watch over the time stream it would inevitably be set out of balance. Resulting in a complete collapse of time itself.

"You think you can kill me Malefor?" I said forcefully, I used my telepathy to lift him into the air and send him crashing into the far wall.

However Malefor was right back up. "Oh I intend to do far more than kill you Chronicler, I'm going to make you wish you passed onto the afterlife when I'm through with you!" Malefor said before firing a convexity shot in my direction knocking me right into a book case sending it's contents spilling onto my head and the floor. "You just couldn't leave him be could you? Tell me Ignitus, do you think it was fair to rip Jason Allen from his life in the Human Realms? To force his past upon him? You didn't even give him a choice in it did you?" Malefor asked me as he approached.

I slowly picked myself up off the floor, looking the corrupted dragon right in the eyes. "The ancestors only put him there to keep his spirit from vanishing into nothing! I had no choice in what they did with that life once it had outlived it's purpose!" I snarled.

Malefor gave me a skeptical yet smug look. "Oh come now Ignitus, you know you wanted Spyro back more than anything, you're such a sentimental old fool, I know you pleaded the ancestors to spare him, to allow Spyro to be recovered claiming that he would be needed again, but in reality you just couldn't bear to see him go. Don't go blaming the ancestors when you were the one who forced their hand." Malefor said before forcing my head into the book case, breaking it slightly on impact.

He was right, I did force them to repair Spyro's body, I didn't even consider how it would have made him feel after it was all said and done. All I cared for was that Spyro would be able to live the life of peace he so richly deserved. What would he think of me if he knew the truth? I shuddered to think.. Malefor then grabbed me by the wings and tossed me across the room. Sending me tumbling across the floor.

Malefor grew a wicked smile, "You should have let him rest in peace Ignitus, because now, I can make him suffer for what he did to me, and when everyone he loves is dead, I will let him know who it was who brought him back to witness it. Will he ever forgive you?" Malefor taunted me.

I tried to get up but Malefor quickly stomped me back down. "Y..you will never get that far! You're too late Malefor, Spyro already re-learned his elemental powers, you're advantage over him is gone! And he searches for you as we speak!" I said, struggling to get out from under his mighty paw.

Malefor glared at me. "It matters not, he's nowhere near as strong as I even at full power. You forget he had to rely on the ancestors themselves to defeat me last time. He will not be so lucky this time." Malefor said as he applied pressure to my back.

I used my telepathy to remove him from my back, knocking him into the ceiling and to the floor. "You're arrogance is your greatest weakness Malefor! Spyro is capable of far greater than you know! Which is why you are destined to fail." I said getting up.

I saw the anger on Malefor's face upon hearing my words. "LIES! Spyro is nothing to me! A mere insect for me to squash. None are even close to matching my power! Especially not a mere child!" Malefor growled.

I shook my head. "Even after all these years you still believe you are untouchable. I look forward to seeing Spyro prove you wrong." I said with a smirk. A gesture Malefor didn't take kindly to as he lashed out at me fangs bared.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

* * *

Me and Cynder had been searching the realms for what felt like hours, with no hide no hair of Malefor anywhere. I was beginning to lose hope we'd ever find him.

However suddenly I felt a tinge in the back of my brain, something... calling me. I immediately changed course to where the voice wanted me to go, now one could say that listening to voices inside your head was a bad idea, but I had a gut feeling that this was leading me to something important.

Cynder noticed me change course and followed quickly. "What is it?" She asked me as she flew in closer.

"Somethings calling me, I can't explain it, it's like I **need** to go there, it could be where Malefor is." I said, realizing how crazy this made me sound.

However even crazier was that Cynder went along with it without so much as a simple 'huh?'. W...was this normal for me? Oh god I hope not, call me crazy but the idea of voices in my head telling me what to do didn't quite sit well with me.

I didn't even have the slightest idea where it was leading me either, as soon the snowy landscape gave way to a vast ocean. Unless Malefor has an evil island lair, I somehow doubted I was going the right way. But something in the back of my mind wouldn't let me turn around now.

However soon enough I found were I needed to go, It was some kind of island or something, aw man please tell me he doesn't actually have an evil island lair! What is he a Bond villain?! However I began to recognize the island, I had a quick flashback to when I first met the original Chronicler, the flashback ended and it dawned on me where I was.

I looked to Cynder. "It's the White Isle!" I said to her.

Cynder gave me a questioning eyebrown raise. "The white whatnow?" She questioned.

"The White Isle, this is were the Chronicler lives!" I clarified. Why would a voice want me to go-

Oh no! He... he wouldn't... would he? I flew in as fast as I could, praying to god and any other deity I could think of that I was wrong about my assumption. However when I came in for a landing my heart sank, there was a huge hole in the structure.

I heard Cynder land behind me. "Oh no! Y...you don't think Malefor-" Cynder began but I didn't give her a chance to finish before rushing in, oh god please don't let Malefor have killed Ignitus!

I finally arrived at a familiar location, it was the same room I had regained my old body in. However it was completely trashed, tons of rubble and books littered the floors. And right there in the middle was Ignitus, on the floor and bleeding. "IGNITUS!" I called out as I rushed to my former mentor's aid.

Ignitus coughed, letting me know he was at least still alive. "S...Spyro? I see you... you received my mental call." Ignitus said weakly.

"Ignitus..." I said sadly. However Ignitus shook his head. "I'll be fine Spyro, Malefor wanted me to stay alive... the madman." Ignitus said.

Why would he do that? He had every reason to kill him, why wouldn't he? Th...that doesn't make any sense, not that I'm not glad you're okay, but why would he do that?" I asked him.

"Because he has something to confess to you Spyro." I heard an all too familiar voice say.

I turned my head to see Malefor standing right there, a smug grin upon his face. I took an aggressive stance, I was ready to tear this bastard to pieces. "Wait, what does he mean?" Cynder asked Ignitus.

I stopped for a moment, looking to the fallen Chronicler, he had an expression of regret upon his face. I was confused, what was Malefor talking about?

Malefor laughed. "You don't know do you child? This old fool is the reason you stand here today. He just couldn't bear to see his precious Spyro go. Isn't that right Ignitus?" Malefor said.

What was he getting at? Of course Ignitus was the reason I was here, he was the one who picked me up from the human world and brought me back here. "Yeah, I already knew Ignitus brought me back here Malefor, not exactly a very shocking reveal." I said dryly.

However Malefor grew a wicked smile. "Oh he did more than that Spyro, he was the reason you were put into that human world in the first place. The ancestors were all too willing to allow you to fade away into nothingness, but Ignitus wouldn't have it, he pleaded with them to spare you, that human life you still long for was all his doing." Malefor elaborated.

What? N...no! That wasn't true! Was it? I turned to Ignitus. "I... is that true?" I asked him.

Ignitus closed his eyes, unsure if he wanted to answer me. "Yes, it's true. I pleaded with the ancestors to reconstruct your body." Ignitus confessed.

Malefor laughed. "I'll leave you all alone for now, I believe you have much to discuss." Malefor said before taking his leave.

I couldn't believe it, this whole time, my life as Jason Allen, all of this, it was because of Ignitus... I was beside myself, I couldn't even fathom what I had just learned.

Ignitus got up, "Spyro... you must understand! I couldn't just let you go, not like that. I never meant to hurt you..." Ignitus pleaded.

I turned to him angrily. "That doesn't change the fact that you did! You made me spend three years living a lie! And for what?! So I could return to **this**?!" I lashed out. I was absolutely livid. How could he do that to me?! To everyone?!

I saw the regret on Ignitus' face, but it did nothing to quell my rage. "You didn't just hurt me! You hurt everyone! Cynder, Terrador, Volteer, Cyril, everyone you used to call your friends! Everyone thought I was dead! Did you even consider how they would feel?! Knowing now that I was alive this whole time?" I yelled.

Ignitus suddenly grew and angry expression. "OF COURSE I KNEW!" He suddenly shouted causing both me and Cynder to freeze up. "You think I enjoyed playing with my friend's emotions?! That I enjoyed making you live a fake life only to rip you away from it three years later?! I understand you're upset Spyro, and you're well within your rights to be, but do not tell me I didn't care about your feelings or the feelings of our friends! I couldn't just let you fade away into nothing! It wasn't right! You of all people deserved to live in the time of peace you helped create!" Ignitus yelled.

I just stood there in shocked silence, not wanting to fan the flames of Ignitus' anger. "They were just going to let you fade away Spyro, float off into nothingness, your spirit was so weakened by repairing the realms it wouldn't even have made it into the afterlife! The only way to save it was to replenish it through rebirth. I had to do **something**! I realize now just how much I've hurt you as a result of my actions. But I'd rather that than to have you lost forever. Please Spyro, I only ask that you understand why I did what I did." Ignitus explained.

I wanted to deck him, unleash my anger on him for putting me through all of this! I had every right to! Losing that life I had on earth was the hardest thing I had ever gone through. All the pain and heartbreak I went through was enough to make anyone hate him with every fiber of their being...

But I couldn't do it, I kept thinking to everything that I had here, I had friends here that. unlike my friends on earth, actually cared enough to help me through everything that happened. And I found love here, something I only dreamed of finding back in Maine.

Was what happened to me really all that bad? Back on earth I was nobody, just a faceless name in the crowd doomed to a dead end job and a life of loneliness, but here, here I was **somebody**. I was a symbol of hope, a hero, someone who could make a difference in this world. I had everything I needed here. A purpose, friends to support me, and someone to love and cherish for the rest of my life. Some people would **kill** to have even a little of what I had now.

I looked to my former mentor. "I forgive you." I said simply, surprising not only Ignitus, but Cynder and Sparx as well. "Going through all of this, everything that's happened to me since I returned, it made me realize just how much my life as a human sucked. I was just some loser, someone everyone would forget all about when he passed on. But here, here I'm somebody, I have a purpose, I have friends who are willing to go through it all with me..." I began before looking to Cynder. "And someone to love for the rest of my life." I added, causing her to smile.

I looked back to Ignitus. "Sure, you hurt a lot of people with this whole thing, but in the end, maybe it was for the best. I've learned a lot in my time here, but the most important thing I learned was to appreciate all I have here. I guess you could say I should thank you for that. Cause in all honesty, this might be the best thing you ever could have done for me, even if I hadn't seen it that way until now." I said, and I meant every word of it. It's like that old saying goes, you never really appreciate what you have until it's gone. And now that I had it all back, I appreciated it all the more.

Ignitus gave me a warm smile. "You've changed a lot from the blond human boy I found in the woods. You've learned many things since then, and to hear you say that, makes me the proudest dragon in the realms." Ignitus said.

However, one thing still remained, I needed to put an end to Malefor. I realize now that he had just used this as a distraction so he could make his escape. But hopefully he hadn't gone far. "But it won't mean anything if I don't stop Malefor." I said.

Ignitus nodded. "Indeed, if you two hurry you can still catch him." said Ignitus. Me and Cynder nodded to each other and wasted no time flying off to catch Malefor. "May the ancestors look after you, may they look after us all." Ignitus said before vanishing from sight.

* * *

**A/N- We're drawing closer and closer to the final showdown folks! And I promise you it will not disappoint! **


	14. The Inevitable Confrontation

**Chapter 13: The Inevitable Confrontation**

* * *

Me and Cynder flew as fast as our wings could take us, Malefor wasn't going to get away, not this time! I've had more than enough of his head games.

It took us a while to spot him but thankfully we eventually did. There he was, the dragon I hated more than any other, the asshole who put me in this position in the first place. I picked up the pace, no way is he going to get away from me! This bastard is overdue for an ass kicking!

However he somehow noticed me, as he suddenly changed course, diving downward where I lost sight of him. I frantically looked around trying to spot him. Unfortunately it seemed that Cynder had also lost track of him too as she was also looking around trying to find him. "Wh...where'd he go?" I asked.

"Right here."

Suddenly I found myself thwacked by a strong tail whip and sent spiraling downward, I tried in vain to right myself but I was going too fast. I collided with the ground sending snow flying everywhere.

I struggled to get up, but I managed it, only to find that I was on some kind of mountain. Suddenly something hit me right in the stomach, punting me into the air like a football and into another rock. "You shouldn't have come back Spyro, you should have just stayed the way you were! Just another stupid human in a crowd of many. You could have lived a longer LIFE!" Malefor yelled before swatting me in the face with his paw. I saw my blood stain the white snow as it sprayed from my mouth from the impact.

Malefor then grabbed me in his claws and tossed me through the air like a ragdoll. Sending me careening into yet another rock. I was beginning to feel like a pinball at this point. "I spent three DAMN years in that crystal hell! Stuck inside with the knowledge that YOU put me there! A mere child! The only thing that kept me alive was my lust for revenge. To make you PAY for what you did to me!" Malefor spat as he rained blows down on me one after another.

Suddenly Cynder came in, biting into his neck causing him to yelp. He quickly threw her off him. "And **you**! Don't think I've forgotten about your betrayal Cynder! You should be thanking me for not having my armies squash your egg along with the others! A mistake I will soon rectify." Malefor hissed.

Cynder was quick to her feet. "You expect me to be grateful? You put me through **hell **since the day I hatched! I was more than happy to turn my back on you!" Cynder snarled before shooting some kind of goo at Malefor. Who deflected it with an ice shield.

I took the opportunity to hit Malefor with my fire breath, catching him off guard and scorching his face. He cried out as his scales burned but he recovered quickly and shot a rock at me knocking me back. "You little worm! You'll pay for that!" Malefor snarled before charging me, grabbing me by the neck and taking flight, grinding me along the rocky mountain side.

I could feel the rocks scraping my back as Malefor continued to drag me along them. In desperation I shot a fire ball right at his face knocking him back and making him lose his grip on me. I began to tumble down the mountain side but I managed to right myself.

My back was screaming in agony from the rocks, but I shook it off. I couldn't waste time whining over injuries. Cynder managed to catch up and began shooting elements I had never seen before. Then again this was only the second time I'd seen her fight, and she was mostly using melee combat last time.

I then noticed something, Cynder **really** hated Malefor, I mean yeah, I'd be concerned if she **didn't** have any animosity towards the guy, but I could see the pure feral rage in her eyes as she attacked Malefor. If I didn't jump in Malefor was going to take advantage, I may be no combat expert, but I do know that when you're fighting with anger, you become easier to outsmart.

* * *

Why can't he just DIE?! I want him to die, I want him to die so badly! Everything he's done to me since I was born, everything he's done to Spyro, there was no one I hated more than Malefor. There wasn't a thing wrong with my life he wasn't at least indirectly responsible for!

**He** was the reason everyone hated me, **he** was the reason I lost Spyro for three whole years, **he** was the reason I had nightmares about the days I'd spent serving under him, **he** was the reason Spyro had to go through all that he's gone through since he returned! It would be criminal for me **not** to kill him! To make him pay for everything he'd done, all the countless innocents he forced me to kill and the ones he no doubt killed himself, all of the pain, all of the suffering! He needed to pay for it all with his worthless life!

However Malefor just kept parrying my strikes and dodging my breath magic. Amused by my anger the whole time. "Come on Cynder! Make me suffer! Spill my blood! Do it for your dear Spyro." Malefor taunted me.

Malefor suddenly got a shot in, sending me spiraling out of the air, thankfully Spyro caught me before I could hit the hard rocks below. "Cynder I know you probably don't want to hear this right now but I think you need to calm down!" Spyro said.

I looked right at him, flabbergasted he even suggested this. "What? Is it **wrong** for me to hate him?!" I asked Spyro.

However Spyro didn't flinch. "No, trust me I have no love for that monster either, but if you don't control your emotions then your eventually gonna mess up and you **know** Malefor is going to take advantage." Spyro explained.

But before more could be said Malefor shot electricity right at us, electrocuting us both and knocking us out of the sky. We both hit the ground with a sickening thud. Malefor then landing softly in front of us. "Don't you two get it yet?! You can't beat me! You had to rely upon the ancestors themselves to help you last time, and I doubt they will be just as willing to help you now, since I haven't begun the great cleansing yet." Malefor taunted us.

Spyro struggled to his feet, a determined look on his face. "I won't lose! Not to you!" Spyro snarled before charging Malefor. Throwing a flurry of paw swipes which Malefor parried one after another.

I quickly joined in the fight, throwing my poison breath right at Malefor's face, getting him right in the eyes. He howled in pain as he covered his face. "You little insect! You must really want to die!" Malefor growled before he tackled me to the ground and pounded me into the snowy ground repeatedly.

Spyro was quick to knock him back with an earth shot before me made my face a permanent part of the mountain. My head throbbed in pain, my vision blurred and spinning as I staggered to my feet. Spyro and Malefor had since taken to the skies and were shooting at one another with varying breath attacks. It was quite the spectacle to behold from where I was.

I noticed an all too familiar ball of light fly up to me. "There you guys are! Man I've been looking for you guys like, forever. So, dare I ask how the fight's going?" Sparx asked me.

I gave him an annoyed glare. "It's going about as well as you'd think it'd be." I said dryly.

"So you're losing." Sparx said. Well I wouldn't say _losing_, but I also think it'd be stretching it if I said we were winning either.

I got up to fly in to help Spyro with the fight. "Okay, you go on ahead, I'll just say right here where it's nice and safe." Sparx said causing me to roll my eyes as I sped towards the dragon I once called master.

* * *

Me and Malefor were evenly matched it seemed, bizarre given what I remembered of our fight, which wasn't much by the way, it was clear Malefor was a lot stronger than me. I don't know if somehow I had gotten stronger, or if Malefor wasn't as spry as he thought he was, but why am I complaining? You **want** Malefor to knock you around like a tennis ball?

I kept on Malefor, moving gracefully through the air as I shot with pin point accuracy, all those years of playing flight sims was starting to pay off, I never thought **that** would be a skill my life depended on. But then again I never thought I'd be in a dog fight with an evil dragon either so take that for whatever it's worth.

However Malefor was taking all of my shots like a champ as he never failed to return fire. He got me an embarrassing amount of times too. Now I knew what it was like to be the space ship in a bullet-hell shooter. I know this is a bad time to mention this, but god DAMN am I a nerd.

I knew I couldn't keep this up forever, I could already feel myself tiring. But Malefor seemed to be capable of going for hours. I was beginning to think I was fighting a losing battle here.

But no sooner did that thought cross my mind then Cynder swooped in with several more goop shots, all of which splatted against a surprised Malefor's dark purple scales. "Took you long enough!" I shouted.

Cynder looked at me. "Hey give me a break! I had to recover from having my head smashed against a rock **and** put up with you're annoying foster brother!" Cynder replied, okay fair enough.

I noticed Malefor getting prepped for another attack. "Stupid argument later! Beat up bad guy now!" I said hastily, just barely dodging the biggest fireball I'd ever seen in my life. "Man this guy just keeps going!" I commented.

Cynder shook her head. "He has to give out eventually." Cynder said returning fire with what I think was a huge gust of wind. Okay that was normal for an elemental power, kinda, made more sense to me than the goo she was shooting earlier.

Malefor was sent spinning from the mini tornado. "Hmm?" Cynder sounded, seeming confused by something. "What?" I asked her.

She looked at me. "Is it just me, or does Malefor seem... weaker than last time?" Cynder asked me.

I gave her a small glare. "Cynder, I barely remember that fight." I pointed out, getting a hasty "oh" from her.

"He doesn't seem as strong as he was the last time we fought him, last time we could barely dent him, but now we're knocking him around like nothing." Cynder pointed out, good so it wasn't just me who thought Malefor was a bit less badass than I had been lead to belive.

I pondered this for a moment. "Maybe he lost some of his power when he was trapped in that crystal?" I suggested. I thought back to what Terrador told me about Mana, that we had to use Spirit Gems to replenish it. And I was willing to bet there weren't many spirit gems in that crystal prison he was in for three years.

That was it! He was running on fumes here! "Cynder I have an idea! Malefor is low on Mana! It has to be why he's so much weaker now, if we can out manuver him for long enough, he'll run out and we'll have the advantage!" I said.

Judging by her expression Cynder seemed to like this plan. "That's actually pretty smart, I'm impressed." Cynder complimented me.

However compliments would have to wait as Malefor was once again charging right at us, dude was persistent I'd give him that. Me and Cynder both scattered. Causing Malefor to miss with his fire breath.

However this plan wouldn't get us far if he had time to realize what it was we were doing, Malefor wasn't stupid, he'd find out eventually. Unless... "Hey Malefor! What's wrong? I thought you were gonna make me pay for keeping you locked up for three years, does that involve dazzling me with your stale moves?" I taunted him, if I could keep him good and riled, he'd be too pissed off at me to think about what I was doing.

And it seemed to work given the expression on Malefor's face. "Oh I intend on making you pay whelp! I will tear the very flesh from your bones!" Malefor threatened, okay... ew.

I kept my pace, making sure I was close enough for him to take shots at me, I needed to keep him firing so he'd use up all of his mana. "I don't know why but I thought you'd be **tougher** than your grublins." I said feigning disappointment.

That did it! I saw his face contort from so much rage I half expected steam to come out of his ears, well if he **had** ears. He shot another stream of fire at me, which I dodged rather easily, another upside to having him so riled up was that he wasn't taking time to aim.

And I wouldn't be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying taking pot shots at Malefor's ego. It was actually quite cathartic to be playing head games with **him** for a change. "Man, they'll make anyone a dark master these days." I taunted, having way more fun with this than I should be.

"SHUT UP!" Malefor screamed before trying again to roast me alive and failing miserably. He was a far more sloppy fighter when he was good and riled. I found it hard to believe I was actually afraid of this tool earlier.

"Okay, just to clarify, are you trying to kill me, or are you just trying to melt the snow? It's hard to tell." I taunted again as I maneuvered through the mountain side.

"You're in no position for jokes!" Malefor said before going for another shot, but as predicted nothing came out. "WHAT?! What is this?!" Malefor questioned.

"Running low on mana? That's too bad, I still have plenty." I said before nailing him right in the face with a fireball knocking him back towards a crevice. Cynder soon flew by my side, we had him now.

It was so satisfying seeing Malefor as helpless as he was, after all those years of tormenting innocent people, now he knew how it felt to be helpless, at the mercy of someone else. It was nice poetic justice.

I approached him. "It's over Malefor. You're madness ends now." I said, I had no mercy left for him now. I was going to knock him right off this cliff, and let gravity do the rest. "I'm sending you straight to hell..." I growled.

However suddenly Malefor grabbed me by the leg. "Join me there..." He said with a sick smile before getting me in a bear hug and falling backwards, sending us both down the crevice. That crazy bastard! He was gonna kill us both just to get his stupid revenge, well to be fair I kinda walked into this one. I just **had** to get in my badass action movie hero line in didn't I? Man I'm dumb!

But that didn't change the fact that I was gonna die if I didn't do something, Malefor had me in a bear hug, rendering my wings useless with them being pinned to my back by his arms, and I don't think my wings would have been enough to carry both of our weight

If I didn't think fast, we were both going to become a permanent part of the mountain!

* * *

**A/N- How's Spyro gonna get out of this one? Will he make his escape? Or will he become the Dark Master's final victim?! Stay tuned!**


	15. The Purple Dragon of Legend

**Chapter 14: The Purple Dragon Of Legend**

* * *

I was running out of time, the longer I waited the closer I was to becoming mountain pizza. I struggled to break free of Malefor's grip but to no avail. "Don't bother struggling Spyro, your fate is sealed." Malefor said.

I was panicking at this point, Malefor was set on killing us both and I wasn't making any progress in getting free of his vice grip. I had to think of something! Anything! I felt a strong energy building up inside me, an unfamiliar sensation emanating from my stomach.

My body began to glow with some kind of purple energy. Malefor's eyes widened upon seeing this. "No! NO!" He protested, however soon a burst of this purple energy erupted from my body, breaking Malefor's bear hug and freeing me at last.

However too little too late, as the ground was frighteningly close, I adjusted my landing hoping it would be enough to keep me from dying.

_**FWUMPH!**_

I hit a snowbank, which broke me fall, it hurt like hell but it was better than being dead. Malefor's landing didn't seem to be much better as he hit the ground hard. Did this mean he was dead? Oh god please let him be dead!

No such luck I'm afraid, as Malefor's eyes shot open, staring daggers at me.

_**Crik-crack!**_

I looked down to see that the ground below us was cracking. It must have been weakened by Malefor's fall. Suddenly we both fell through, no nice soft snow to break my fall this time, just the cruel, unforgiving, dirt floor.

The impact of the fall knocked the wind right out of me, I got a good look around, we were inside some kind of cave or something. The only light coming from the hole me and Malefor made.

My body really didn't want to get up, content to just lay here. But Malefor wasn't going to let me do that. He quickly grabbed me by the tail and sent me crashing into a stalactite.

Malefor slowly moved towards me, clearly injured from the fall by the way he was slightly limping. "I must admit Spyro, making me waste my remaining mana was a clever move. I'm legitimately impressed, however whatever advantage you had was lost with that fall." Malefor said before back handing me.

I hit the dirt floor with a thud. My body still aching from the fall, Malefor took that drop like a champ though, as he was still spry enough to beat me within an inch of my life.

I tried to swat him with my tail but he barely flinched. Malefor replied with a huge uppercut to my jaw. You wouldn't think a quadrupedal dragon would be able to pull Mortal Kombat style uppercuts but you'd be wrong my friend.

I was just fighting to stay conscious at this point, all of the damage I'd been taking in this fight was starting to add up. I could barely move.

Malefor knew he had this fight in the bag, I could tell by the sick grin on his face. "Where is your laughter now Spyro? You seemed so confident before!" Malefor taunted me as he rained blows on me.

This fight was over, I lost, my body was in so much pain it outright refused to move, and Malefor just kept hitting me.

I failed... I let everyone down... I'm sorry Cynder... I tried...

Malefor grabbed me by the neck, bringing me face to face with him. "At last our game is at an end Spyro, with your death, the cleansing can begin!" He said smugly. I couldn't even muster a response, I was so beat to hell what was the point?

However, suddenly I heard voices in my head again, man that sounds bad doesn't it? I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, however they seemed strangely familiar.

Suddenly I found my second wind apparently, as I was able to break free of Malefor's hold with relative ease. "WHAT?! What is this!?" Malefor snarled.

I looked over myself, I had that purple glow again, what was this anyway? It felt somewhat familiar. I felt my self levatate into the air, a surge of power rushing through me. I suddenly had another flashback, everything suddenly came forth, every lost memory, the life I lost suddenly exploding back into my mind.

I knew what this glow was now, it was Convexity, the same power I used to free Cynder, kill Gaul, and beat Malefor the first time. My eyes shot open, "It's over Malefor! All of the pain and all of the suffering you caused is at an end!" I boomed.

However Malefor wasn't intimidated. "Oh really? You can't kill me Spyro, even with all of the power of convexity at your claws you are **still** too weak to take my life!" Malefor said, I noticed his voice slightly waver while saying this.

He was scared... he knew I had the power to take him down. And boy, was I going to take him DOWN! I shot a powerful convexity blast right at his center mass, knocking him fifty feet back and into the far wall.

I wasn't leaving anything to chance, I kept raining convexity blows on him, one after the other, not even giving him a second to recover.

When the dust cleared I began to notice something... Malefor's scales were getting brighter. I waved it off as a trick of the lighting and just kept on him. Blow after blow, unleashing all of my anger towards him, all the pain, all of the heartache, everything he put me through serving as fuel for his undoing.

Finally I stopped, Malefor was on the floor, a bloody broken mess, I walked over to him, I had to be sure he was dead, I couldn't risk him coming back, not again!

However something was off, he didn't have that same menacing look he used to have. His scales had become a similar shade of purple to mine, and his horns had become yellow, also like mine, his face was a lot less ugly and more appealing than before.

Malefor weakly opened his eyes, which were no longer yellow with slitted pupils, but were round and purple like mine. What was going on?

Malefor looked weakly at me, I braced for another attack, but it never came. "Kill me... please..." He asked me weakly.

Okay... now I'm confused, what was going on? He was pleading me to kill him? Why? "W...what I've done... the... countless lives I've taken... the pain I put you through... I don't deserve forgiveness... end it... allow me to face judgment for my sins..." Malefor said to me, I noticed his voice was now much clearer and less distorted than it was before.

I then thought back to something someone once told me, how Malefor was once like me, noble and caring... was he... was he corrupted? And did I just... **un**-corrupt him? I thought he was evil because he was just a jerk like that.

Malefor noticed my confusion. "I understand your confusion Spyro... I wasn't always the evil dragon you know... I was once like you... wanting nothing more than to do good and reach my full potential... however I one day became too greedy, too curious... I happened upon... the well of souls one day... I foolishly approached it, the power it promised me was like a siren's call... little did I know... but that power would corrupt me to my core... I only now see just how horrible the atrocities that I committed really were." Malefor explained to me.

I didn't know how to feel... everything that Malefor did, it was unforgivable, he was a monster, a sociopath, I had every right to hate him and then some.

But... seeing him like this... remorseful, full of regret, asking me to end his life as penance for his crimes... it made me question that hate.

Malefor sighed, "Don't feel any sympathy for me Spyro, I don't deserve it, just kill me... you deserve justice for all I've done to you and the ones you love." Malefor said to me.

I thought it over, but no matter how much I wanted to grant him his wish, I couldn't do it. It was clear this Malefor wasn't the same Malefor I had been fighting all this time. The fact he actually regretted what he did was proof of that.

I looked down at him, the former dark master, who was once the focus of all my hatred. "I forgive you..." I said, it was the hardest thing I'd ever had to say. But I couldn't find it within myself to maintain my hatred of him after seeing him like this.

Malefor was shocked to his core. "Why? I... I did so many horrible things to you, to everyone! You can't forgive that!" He said. Completely floored by my statement.

"You're right, what you've done as the Dark Master was unforgivable, but I realize now, it wasn't really you. I know what it's like to be corrupted by the Well of Souls, when I shift into that other form, it scares me. It doesn't excuse what you've done, but it also doesn't give me the right to take your life for it." I explained.

Suddenly the cave we were in started to rumble, oh crap! A cave in! I should have known this would happen eventually. Rocks began to fall from the collapsing cave roof, aw man I don't think I can get out in time! Me and Malefor rushed to find an exit.

We eventually found one, however rocks were beginning to crumble and fall in front of it, a giant rock finally blocking it off, oh this is SO unfair! Malefor said nothing and went over to the rock and lifted it up. Creating a gap small enough for me to go through. "GO!" He ordered me.

I hesitated, what about him? How would he get out? "I'm not leaving you!" I said sternly.

Malefor shot me a glare. "If anyone should be able to leave this cave, it should be the one with a clear conscience." Malefor told me. I was still unwilling to do it though, I wanted him to have a chance to redeem himself, a chance to make up for all the horrible things he'd done. "Please Spyro, let me have this one chance to make amends for what I've done..." Malefor said, the cave in was getting worse and worse, and I was running out of time, as much as I didn't want to do it, I was going to have to leave Malefor behind. I crawled under the gap he made for me and out of the cave.

I quickly turned back, digging through the rocks in the vain hope that I could somehow save him. I manged to at least create a gap so I could see him. "Spyro stop! It's too late for me..." He told me.

He had a solemn look on his face. "Spyro, before I die, I want you to promise me something..." He then said, I nodded. "Please, don't become like me, you have the potential to do great things, don't squander it in the name of power." Malefor said to me.

A tear trickled down my eye. "I promise..." I said, the realization that I couldn't save him hitting me like a freight train. "And tell Cynder, I'm sorry..." He added before the cave in finally claimed his life.

The Dark Master was dead, and he died saving my life, I never thought that would be how he went.

I also never thought I'd feel **sad** about this, a few minutes ago I would have been laughing and eating mac and cheese on his grave. But now that I knew what I knew now, it seemed tragic the way he went. "I'm sorry Malefor..." I said sadly.

Soon enough Cynder and Sparx managed to find me. "SPYRO!" Cynder said excitedly upon seeing that I was alive. "Is it over? Is he dead?" Cynder asked me.

I looked over at the pile of rocks before looking back to her. "Yeah... he's dead." I said sadly.

Sparx was confused by my tone. "What's the matter Spyro? Isn't Malefor being gone a **good** thing?" Sparx asked me.

So I explained to them what happened, how I un-corrupted Malefor, and that he sacrificed himself to save my life.

They both seemed shocked, I didn't blame them, I would have been too. "So... Malefor wasn't **really** evil? Huh, who'd a thunk it." Sparx commented.

Cynder however had a different reaction. "It doesn't excuse what he did! He was a monster, and I'm glad he's dead..." Cynder said, her eyes watering.

I approached her. "Before he died, he wanted me to tell you that he was sorry for what he'd done to you, I don't expect you to forgive him, but I at least want you to understand that he didn't die the monster that you knew." I told her.

Cynder paused for a moment, letting it all sink in, I could tell she still hated him, after everything he put her through it'd be surprising if she didn't. She then nodded.

We all left in silence after that, Malefor was gone for good, and at least he didn't die the monster I found him as. I silently hoped to myself the ancestors could find it within themselves to forgive him for what he'd done.

* * *

_**Warfang**..._

* * *

Me and Cynder soon made it back to Warfang, my body was still awash with pain from the fight, hopefully when I got back to the temple I could get some much needed medical attention.

The three guardians were waiting for us outside the temple, along with a huge crowd of people. "So?... Is it over?" Terrador asked us.

I looked up at him. "Yeah, it's over. We won." I said to him.

I saw his face light up, happy that the nightmare was finally over. "Very good, you both did a great service to us all. And I'm glad both of you can join us in the celebration this time." Terrador said looking at me when he said that last part.

You know what? A celebration sounded great right now, but I'd like some spirit gems a bit more...ow...

* * *

_**Later...**_

* * *

The city was a roar with excitement as we celebrated another victory, I had told the guardians the truth about Malefor, however we all agreed not to tell the citizens until the celebration was over and everyone had a chance to cool down from all the chaos.

We all had special ceremonial robe things, they kinda resembled the one Ignitus wore, only they were of our respective colors, mine was purple, Cynder's was black, Terrador's was green, etc.

Me and Cynder stood tall side by side, the crowd in silence as we looked down upon them. Terrador then stepped forward. "Today is a great day, no longer will we have to live in fear of the dark master! Thanks to The Purple Dragon of Legend Spyro, and the former Terror of the Skies Cynder. They have both selflessly delivered us into peace not once but twice. May we forever remember this glorious day!" Terrador said before the crowd erupted in applause.

When I first arrived in the dragon realms, I wanted nothing more than to return to earth, however now, now I felt the exact opposite, I had been through a lot since returning home, but I think it was all worth it now. I felt bad that Malefor couldn't be here to see it all, but at least he got to die a hero and not a monster. That helped me feel a bit better about it.

It was weird having two sets of memories, but hey, at least I had them now. And now I have great friends, a city who loves me, and I met the love of my life. And you know what? Life is pretty good now.

I couldn't ask for a better one...

* * *

**FIN.**

* * *

**A/N- BOOYAH! Three stories completed in a row! I'm on a roll!**

**I'd like to take this time to thank everyone who stuck through this thing, and those who took the time to leave reviews. I may not respond, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the feedback.**

**I honestly thought this one would tank. I thought people would take offense to me making a human character really Spyro in another form. However I've never been so happy to be so wrong. This story has also currently dethroned A Glitch In Time as my most reviewed story *applause* Take that for whatever it's worth...**

**I'm actually quite proud of this one, unlike my last two stories I did everything I wanted to with this one, and I managed to improve my writing a bit (although I still make a few goofs here and there. ) No I don't think I'll give this a sequel, I think it's fine as a stand alone thing. Like I said before I've done everything I wanted to with this one.**

**What's next for me you ask? I dunno... I have a few more ideas, however as usual I want to take a bit of time to iron them out. How long that will be I can't say, but hopefully it won't be long.**

**Until next time kids... *Flies away on a robot unicorn***


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